April 4, 2024

Looking back a year after the Covenant School shooting People are still grieving the deaths of three students and three staff members — and still asking for gun safety legislation

BY KELSEY BEYELER

All around Nashville, you’ll still find homes displaying black-and-red ribbons, or yard signs showing support for the Covenant School community following a mass shooting at the private school on March 27, 2023. The city now knows the names of the six victims: 9-year-olds Hallie Scruggs, Evelyn Dieckhaus and William Kinney, along with school staff Cynthia Peak (61), Mike Hill (61) and Katherine Koonce (60). So much has happened since then, yet so little has changed.

In the year since the Covenant School tragedy, we’ve learned more about those whose lives were taken. Through statements from parents and family friends, we know that Hallie was the first downstairs on

Christmas morning, and that William was brave and kind. Through a NewsChannel 5 interview with Evelyn’s parents, we learned she squeezed tight during hugs. Peak was a passionate longtime educator; Hill was a kind man with a deep dedication to both Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Covenant School. Koonce was a strong leader who devoted herself to those around her until her last breath.

Following the shooting, the city united in grief at a vigil held at the steps of City Hall. The next day, thousands of people channeled their anger into calls for action at the steps of the state Capitol. Inside, Reps. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) and Justin Jones (D-Nashville)

protested gun violence from the House floor — a move that motivated House leaders to call for their expulsions.

Protests continued as the three Democrats, who became known nationally as the Tennessee Three, faced expulsion hearings. Jones and Pearson were expelled, but were quickly reinstated by their respective city councils. Johnson escaped expulsion by just one vote.

During the remainder of last year’s legislative session, students, parents, faith leaders and community members of all stripes continued showing up at the Capitol calling for gun reform and seeking justice for the lawmakers who faced expulsion. At times the energy was intense, but protests remained

peaceful. Galvanized by the tragedy, people with different viewpoints supported one another, sang together, marched together and modeled the kind of bipartisanship that they asked for but did not see from members of the Tennessee General Assembly.

Amid pressure from protesters and scrutiny at a national level, Republicans fought among themselves, the Senate chose not to hear any gun-related legislation for the duration of the session, and lawmakers rushed the session to a close in late April.

Lawmakers and right-wing media figures demanded to see the shooter’s writings, which were not released during the Metro Nashville Police Department’s investigation (which was assisted by the

Thousands of demonstrators linked arms throughout Nashville on March 27, 2024, marking the one year anniversary of the Covenant School shooting and continuing to call for gun reforms. PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Covenant School mother Sarah Shoop Neumann (left) and District 60 House candidate Shaundelle Brooks (right), both of whom are the mothers of gun violence victims, embrace at the March 27, 2024 memorial. PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Looking back

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation).

Covenant parents didn’t want the public to see the documents — described by the TBI as “journal-type rantings” — though photos of journal pages were leaked by right-wing podcaster Steven Crowder in November. Several MNPD officers were reassigned pending an investigation, which ultimately proved to be inconclusive.

When Gov. Bill Lee called a special session in August to address the shooting, some Republicans didn’t want to return to the Capitol. Protesters returned, and a few were removed from a committee room simply for holding signs — a House rule prohibiting signs was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, and a Chancery Court judge swiftly blocked enforcement of the rule. Parents of Covenant School students provided devastating testimony about the day — but lawmakers didn’t always listen. Again, the Senate

deferred voting on virtually everything until the 2024 legislative session. The special session resulted in a handful of bills that changed very little. Lee’s call for extreme risk protection legislation — also known as red-flag laws, designed to take guns from people deemed a risk to public safety — went unanswered by the General Assembly’s Republican supermajority.

One bill that Covenant parents advocated for during the special session has since passed — it requires schools to develop a policy to determine what caused a fire alarm. Another, which would close autopsy records of minors who were killed in a violent crime, is currently making its way through the legislature.

Covenant parents have continued to show up and advocate for legislation to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. They created two nonprofits — Covenant Families for Brighter Tomorrows

and Covenant Families Action Fund — to formalize their advocacy. They joined an increasingly large group of others doing similar work. These groups held a rally calling for gun reform in February.

Two prominent gun safety advocates have announced their intentions to run for office. Earlier this month, Maryam Abolfazli, founder of civic engagement nonprofit Rise and Shine Tennessee, announced she’s considering running as a Democrat to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Any Ogles in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District. Shaundelle Brooks, whose son Akilah Dasilva was killed in Nashville’s 2018 Waffle House mass shooting, is running for state House District 60 (currently represented by Democrat Darren Jernigan, who is not seeking reelection following an appointment to Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s administration).

Despite all the energy, advocacy,

organization and emotion that followed the Covenant School shooting, there’s been little meaningful change to help prevent future instances of gun violence in the state. Lawmakers have provided support so schools can be more equipped to respond to intruders, but critics seek proactive rather than reactive measures. They’re calling for red-flag laws and legislation related to safe storage, background checks and magazine capacities — measures that have received support from both conservative and liberal voters, including a majority of Tennessee Republicans and gun owners.

The question remains — what must happen to facilitate stricter gun safety laws in Tennessee?

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

Thousands of demonstrators linked arms throughout Nashville on March 27, 2024.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Crowds rally against gun violence at the state Capitol, April 2023.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Members of the Covenant School community were joined by hundreds of supporters at Nashville’s Centennial Park on March 27, 2024.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

A mother and daughter embrace outside of Nashville’s Centennial Park.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Vanderbilt students face arrest, suspension after overnight sit-in Students are protesting the university’s suppression of pro-Palestine activism

BY KELSEY BEYELER

Vanderbilt University’s student newspaper The Vanderbilt Hustler reported early on March 27 that, after nearly 24 hours occupying Kirkland Hall, 25 students were removed by the Vanderbilt University Police Department. The Hustler reports that two students previously left the building due to personal emergencies, 16 students were placed on interim suspension, and three were arrested for bodily injury and assault; another student who was protesting outside was reportedly arrested last Tuesday night for destruction of property. Scene reporter Eli Motycka was also arrested while covering the protests on March 26. Motycka was later released and charges were dismissed.

On March 26, 27 students forcibly entered Kirkland Hall — which had been closed for renovations — to protest what they describe as the university’s suppression of pro-Palestinian activism. This includes blocking a vote on a resolution supporting a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement through the Vanderbilt Student Government. Twenty-five Vanderbilt faculty members signed a letter criticizing the university for stopping the vote.

Outside Kirkland Hall, roughly two dozen additional students repeated protest chants. Students engaged in the Kirkland Hall sit-in had been threatened with interim suspensions and removal by VUPD. The Hustler reports — and Vanderbilt students protesting outside the building tell the Scene — that those sitting in Kirkland could not eat or use the restroom as long as they remained in the building.

According to a statement from Vanderbilt’s communications department, “Student Affairs staff took a graduated

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approach to de-escalate the situation,” including asking the students to leave, warning them that they could be disciplined and issuing interim suspensions, which require students to leave campus.

A Vanderbilt representative also says “some students physically assaulted a Community Service Officer to gain entrance and proceeded to push staff members who offered to meet with them.” A video from the university shows the students’ entry.

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n“Free expression is a core value at Vanderbilt, as is civil discourse,” says a university representative. “Our policies allow for members of the Vanderbilt community to protest and demonstrate regarding issues they care deeply about. Dozens of peaceful demonstrations have occurred over the past several months. In consideration of safety and the university’s normal operations, we, as a matter of policy, define time, place and manner limitations. The safety and wellbeing of our community is a top priority. The university will take action when our policies are violated, the safety of our campus is jeopardized and when people intimidate or injure members of our community.”

Vanderbilt Student Government president Sam Sliman told the Scene that the university’s response to the protest is “pretty absurd given the university’s big focus on open dialogue, free speech.” He says he’s not surprised by the university’s actions, which echo other responses that Sliman has seen in his four years at Vandy.

“This is very much in line with how they like to handle things. ... This is just what we’ve come to expect from them at this point.”

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

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Vanderbilt University student protesters demonstrate on the steps of Kirkland Hall on March 26, 2024. PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Lee appoints new TSU board after legislators pass bill vacating seats Move comes as comptroller’s office issues audit reports including findings from 2019

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

Last Thursday, Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill to vacate all eight seats on Tennessee State University’s board and named replacements hours after the legislation officially passed the House.

Also on Thursday morning, the state Comptroller’s office released three new audits of TSU. One was an independent forensic audit undertaken by CliftonLarsonAllen over a four year period from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023.

CLA did not find evidence of “fraud or malfeasance by executive leadership, the University or the TSU Foundation.” It did include 57 observations and 60 recommendations for the university’s monetary responsibilities.

In response, the university said, “TSU finds the report’s observations and recommendations to be helpful as we continue to improve our business operations, but it must be stressed this forensic audit firm was retained specifically to determine if TSU had committed fraud or malfeasance.”

The university also addressed the Comptroller office’s other two audits released on Thursday. In one from the 2022 fiscal year, the office stated there were nine findings related to lack of oversight for finances, and at least three findings have been previously reported in other audits. The

audit of the state itself for FY23 includes six findings in relation to how the university handles federal grant awards for students’ financial aid.

“These findings in this report cover a period that began in 2021, and do not reflect the substantial improvements that TSU has made to its business operations over the past two years, and gives the impression that TSU is committing the same infractions in the present, which is not the case,” the university said. “Additionally, the audits do not mention the gross underfunding of TSU. Moreover, the audits do not support any of the allegations that had been brought forward as the basis to dissolve the TSU Board of Trustees.”

WHAT’S NEXT

The previous board consisted of Deborah Cole, Stephen Corbeil, Van Pinnock, Richard Lewis, Pam Martin, Obie McKenzie, Andre Johnson and Joseph Walker III. Faculty trustee William Johnson and student trustee Shaun Wimberly were also removed. The new board will pick the student representative and the TSU Faculty Senate will choose its new representation.

Lee’s eight new picks are all TSU graduates: Trevia Chatman, president, Bank of America Memphis; Jeffery

Norfleet, provost and vice president for administration, Shorter College; Marquita Qualls, founder and principal, Entropia Consulting; Terica Smith, deputy mayor and director of human resources, Madison County; Charles Traughber, general counsel, division of real estate, retail, and financial services at Bridgestone Americas; Dwayne Tucker, CEO of LEAD Public Schools; Kevin Williams, president and CEO of GAA Manufacturing; and Dakasha Winton, senior vice president and chief government relations officer at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

The university released a statement after the passage in the House but before the governor’s announcement reading in part, “We believe this legislation will disrupt our students’ educational pursuits, harm the image of the University, and remove a Board that had achieved success in its enhanced governance of TSU.”

The change comes as TSU searches for a new president following the announcement of Glenda Glover’s retirement at the end of this school year.

TSU alumni and lawmakers gathered after the House session on Thursday morning to speak about their support for the university.

Barry Barlow, a member of the Save TSU Community Coalition, spoke at a press conference after the vote saying he will pray for the Tennessee General Assembly that God would “move you out of our way.”

“Somebody better tell them, just like the honorable John Robert Lewis, get ready for us, we are getting ready to bring you ‘good trouble,’” Barlow said.

TROUBLE ON THE FLOOR

The vote in the House was not passed without some uproar. Originally in the House Government Operations Committee an amendment was passed to vacate only three of the eight board seats. But as soon as the amendment was brought to the floor for discussion, the vice chair of the committee, Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin), withdrew the amendment. Objections were made but with a vote along party lines it was removed from consideration.

When the members moved on to discuss the bill, Rep. Harold Love (D-Nashville), a TSU graduate who donned a shirt bearing its name, spoke first. He recounted the fact that TSU had been historically underfunded. He said he had planned this session to come back and help get the university more of the funds it was owed, but instead he had to discuss a different topic.

“I found myself in conversations about boards and audits. And every time I was

in a conversation about boards and audits and the money I was always told that the legislature wanted to do what was best for the university,” Love said. “I would hope that if we choose to vote on this particular bill and choose to vacate this board that this body would use the same determination, the same fierceness, same fervor, and same excitement to come back and fund the university properly.”

Love asked the sponsor of the bill, Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Hill), if he could consider the amendment the body’s members had planned to vote on from the committee.

Ragan said because the amendment was voted down, it would take a motion to reconsider action to entertain the idea. However, when Love made that motion, the House clerk clarified that because it was withdrawn a new amendment would need to be filed. That started a chain reaction of moves to delay the bill.

House Minority Leader Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) recommended rolling the bill to have time to file the amendment. There was an objection to the motion and along party lines the House voted not to allow time to file. Clemmons then moved to re-refer the bill to the Calendar and Rules Committee, an attempt often made to delay a vote. There were objections and the same party-line vote occurred. Love spoke up to re-refer the bill to the Government Operations Committee. With objection once again, the motion failed — with the Republican majority once again stonewalling the attempt to delay the vote.

However, all the back and forth gave Love just enough time to file a new amendment to the bill. It was the amendment approved in the committee that had previously been withdrawn by the House. While five Republicans voted with the Democrats — namely Rep. Sam Whitson (R-Franklin), Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson), Rep. Monty Fritts (R-Kingston), Rep. Ron Gant (R-Piperton) and Rep. Hurt (R-Halls) — it was not enough to pass the amendment.

Onto the discussion of the bill Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) spoke up.

“There was an attempt or compromise that was sought to be made,” Pearson said. “People here talk about teamwork and bipartisanship and there was an agreement … But instead of doing that, we are now seeking to dismantle the entire board for the only public HBCU in our state. This is wrong and immoral. This perpetuates the racism of previous generations into legislation today.”

In response to Pearson, Ragan said that the Democratic party was “in

Rep. Harold Love (center) speaks with fellow representatives including, Rep. Mark White (left), in March 2024. PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

control” of the state government during the period of underfunding that prompted Pearson’s immediate outcry. There was an inquiry by Barrett about if Rule 19 would apply to the outburst, and he ultimately made a motion to call Pearson to order.

Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville) was the next representative to stand up and told his Republican colleagues that even though he knows they are well intentioned, the optics are not good.

“If you can’t look at this and see that the optics of what you’re doing today is awful, you need to take your blinders off,” Mitchell said. “I’m helping you out here because I know many of you, and no one should accuse you of being anything but coming up here to serve to the best of your ability. But, you’re driving off the cliff right now.”

Mitchell said he served in the Government Operations Committee for many years as a staffer and saw several audits of state universities that were “horrendous.”

“Have we ever vacated an entire board of a university before?” Mitchell said. “But an HBCU that we owe $2 billion to? ‘Oh, yeah. We’re going to take their board.’”

Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis) also pointed out he had never seen an entire board removal. But, Ragan countered by saying it has been done before. Rep. Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville) also made the claim that removing an entire board is something that has been previously done.

Rep. Jason Powell (D-Nashville), who got his master’s degree from TSU, made a point to note the impact underfunding would have on TSU’s ability to provide adequate student housing for an influx of students, which he noted a previous audit mentioned. He added there were other universities in audits with the same problem. Yet, he said TSU was the only university with its board being vacated.

“Legislation to vacate this board is going to set a very dangerous precedent,” Powell said. “The next step is that THEC is going to have to control the board and they’ll prepare to do that. [TSU’s board] is in the middle of a presidential search … this is going to be a complete disruption to the university.”

Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville) mentioned his support for the University of Tennessee but pointed out — to Powell’s mention of housing — there was a disparity between the support for UT’s use of hotels as dorms and criticism of TSU’s same usage.

McKenzie brought up yet another compromise. His amendment would vacate five members of the board. That vote received some of the same (and some new) Republicans in concert with Democrats as Love’s previous amendment. But ultimately it also failed.

Rep. Chris Todd (R-Madison County) motioned to move the bill forward to a vote, ending debate. The House voted 66-25 to vacate all eight seats of Tennessee State University’s board. The Senate had passed it 25-6 on March 21.

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

On the Hill: March 25-28 recap Lee submits budget amendment; day care bill sees bipartisan support

Last Tuesday, Gov. Bill Lee’s administration dropped its budget amendment, a move that could signify the looming end of the session.

The budget amendment accounts for impact from proposed changes to the franchise tax, based on a fiscal note released after the original budget was proposed.

The fiscal note found an impact of $1.55 billion for potential refunds to businesses that paid the franchise tax based on property owned in the state rather than its net worth. The budget originally accounted for only

$1.2 billion, so the amendment filed shows a $351 million change.

The administration also said it identified bonds approved in 2011 for the purchase of Capitol Towers, the final building near the Capitol Hill five-building complex that the state does not own. Lee recommends using certain state reserves to allow for acquisition of the units in the condominium building.

Legislators will discuss the budget amendment in detail for the first time in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Monday followed by the Senate’s

Finance Ways and Means Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday.

THIRD-PARTY INSPECTORS

A bill to allow third-party inspectors for permitting in place of local or state inspectors has passed both the House and the Senate.

If signed by Lee, it would allow developers to hire licensed or certified professionals to complete inspections for a fee rather than wait on public regulators. Findings would still be submitted and approved by regulators.

“The beauty of this legislation, it does two things. It benefits both parties both the regulating body as well as the applicant,” Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) said. “The applicant has the option now of deciding whether or not they want to wait on the backlog of applications to where it goes through the normal process. But if they find that they can move faster through using these third parties, then they incur the expense of hiring the third party.”

Rep. John Crawford (R-Bristol/ Kingsport) and Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) voted against the bill and six others were present but did not vote.

TOURISM RECORDS

The Senate passed a bill that would shield “sensitive” Tourism Department records from public requests.

The Tennessee Lookout reported it could be an attempt to hide records on a potential Super Bowl bid for the future Titans stadium.

The body adopted the House version but added an amendment for information to become public once an event is held or

state money is spent. The House will vote on whether or not to accept the amendment on Monday.

TRANSPOTAINMENT

The House passed a bill regarding permitting for entertainment vehicles. Originally, the bill carried by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) would have rewritten rules and regulations of “transpotainment.” However, the amendment that passed the House had a much lighter touch. It will be placed on the Senate calendar next.

DAY CARE CLOSURES

The House passed a Senate bill that would require a child care agency to inform parents at least 60 days before it closes. Sponsored by Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) and Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), the bill is one of the few wins for Democrats in the Republican-controlled legislature.

VACCINES IN VEGETABLES

The Republicans passed a bill in the Senate that Democratic lawmakers suggested is conspiratorial in nature.

The bill, which already passed the House, would create regulation for food that contains a vaccine. Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) mentioned vaccines in lettuce during a committee meeting. AP reports that COVID-19 vaccines are not being passed through produce or livestock, but Republican supporters of the bill maintained on the Senate floor this week that Democrats needed to do more research.

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

OB/GYN points out inaccuracies in ‘Baby Olivia’ human development video

Anti-abortion group produced clip that lawmakers are moving to implement in schools

BY HANNAH HERNER AND HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

A bill that requires that schools show a fetal development video in classrooms and names one produced by a pro-life advocacy group passed the Tennessee House of Representatives last week and is making its way through the Senate.

HB2435/SB2767 would require that the family life curriculum in Tennessee public schools include the presentation of a “high quality, computer-generated animation or high-definition ultrasound of at least three minutes in duration.” The bill names a video called “Meet Baby Olivia.”

Family life curriculum is an abstinencebased curriculum required in counties (including Davidson County) where the teen birth rate exceeds 19.5 per 1,000 females between 15-19. The three-minute video in

question was created by Live Action, a prolife advocacy group, and released in 2021. In the “Meet Baby Olivia” debate, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi takes issue with the content and tone, while a medical professional interviewed by the Post cites flaws in the fetal development timeline. Meanwhile, one legislator doubles down and another argues that full accuracy is

not necessarily imperative.

Local obstetrician-gynecologist Nicole Schlechter said the most egregious issue in the video is how it measures the timeline of pregnancy. The video measures from conception, while medical professionals count from the first day of the last menstrual period. This could cause confusion for patients, she said, as the video

Tennessee State Capitol PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

states that a fetus could survive outside the womb at 20 weeks, which would be 22 to 23 weeks measured by the last missed period.

A 2022 study that analyzed outcomes of about 10,000 infants found 30 percent of infants born at 22 weeks survived while 55.8 percent survived at 23 weeks. Just one has survived at 21 weeks, breaking a world record.

“I would love for more babies to survive, but I don’t want to give people false hope,” Schlechter said. “That is what this video is doing, inadvertently. They’re trying to ‘teach’ human development but they’re just teaching false embryology.”

The video also claims a heartbeat can be detected at three weeks after fertilization. Schelechter said there are pulsations in the structure that will become the heart at three weeks after fertilization, but the heart is not formed until about six weeks,(nine weeks after the last menstrual cycle). Per the video, she said it is a stretch to say that a baby is “playing,” but it is moving reflexively at 11 weeks since conception.

Schlechter pointed out that the video is aesthetically pleasing, with a mesmerizing voice actress, a contrast from the graphic images that got Live Action banned from social media sites.

“If you took that same animator and even that same voiceover with scientists and educators — I think human development, embryology, and reproduction should be taught in school,” she said. “That’s really important.”

Ashley Coffield, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and Northern Mississippi, took issue with the “cartoonish” nature of the film in a March 20 press conference, though did not detail the organization’s alleged medical inaccuracies.

“‘Baby Olivia’ is a fake ultrasound video that depicts fetal development in an unscientific and emotionally manipulative way by a radical anti-abortion organization,” Coffield said in a press release. “It parrots the same lies and misinformation that anti-abortion groups and lawmakers used to impose a total abortion ban on Tennessee.”

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood), who, speaking with a reporter for Post sister publication The News, sought to discredit the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a membership organization with 60,000 members.

“Recognize that the ACOG is a proabortion advocacy group,” Bulso told The News. “They say that on their website. They say ‘abortion is essential health care’ under a column called ‘advocacy.’ If someone is going to say something is inaccurate, obviously it’s incumbent on them to point out what is inaccurate.”

Bulso acknowledged the discrepancy between counting from the day of conception instead of counting from the last missed period to The News, but at a March 22 Williamson Inc. panel discussion he doubled down.

“I think that’s going to be to the benefit of all public school students across the state, because it’s 100 percent scientific and it’s just a beautiful illustration of how life begins, and certainly should form part of any family life curriculum,” Bulso said.

Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) a physician, voted for the bill. He told The News he did not know Live Action was behind the video. North Dakota passed a similar bill in 2023 and Iowa, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri are fielding bills referencing ‘Baby Olivia’ this year.

“It does give a good general description, I think. Whether it’s exactly accurate about what happens at certain times or not, it may not be,” Hensley said.

He added, “Whether all of the exact details are correct, I don’t think that is important. Schools can use other depictions if they need to. They don’t have to use that one. If there’s one that’s more accurate they can use it. … Whether the times are exactly right, I don’t think that is important because children aren’t going to be looking at that part.”

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

City of Forest Hills encouraging April ‘No Mow’ pledge

STAFF REPORTS

The City of Forest Hills is encouraging residents to commit to a “No Mow” pledge throughout April to help their local environment.

The city has partnered with the Cumberland River Compact to encourage the effort, which can help improve water quality, soil health and pollinator populations by simply refraining from mowing lawns during the month of April.

“’No Mow April’ empowers individuals to become environmental stewards by embracing the growth in their yards,” City of Forest Hills Vice Mayor Henry Trost said in a news release. “We recognize that many of our residents prefer to keep their lawns manicured, but we will also encourage participants to let their grass grow tall throughout the month, contributing to individual environmental conservation efforts”.

“No Mow April” is not a requirement for residents, and the city is also encouraging other rewilding” efforts such as transitioning yards to resemble native habitats prior to urbanization.

In the 2023 initiative more than 200 yards were pledged, and participants can receive a complimentary No Mow Nashville sign by signing up online at cumberlandrivercompact.org.

Artificial intelligence headed to ‘Jailhouse Rock’ with Tennessee’s groundbreaking ELVIS Act

BY BILL FREEMAN

In a nearly unprecedented move, the Tennessee General Assembly recently passed legislation with unanimous votes in both the state House and Senate. This legislation was signed into law last month in classic Nashville style — the signing took place at Robert’s Western World on Lower Broad.

The Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security Act protects the music industry and its professionals from the damaging potential of artificial intelligence. The new law, which updates our existing personal rights law and is fittingly named with the acronym ELVIS, is the first of its kind in the country.

I am proud that our fine state and our music industry championed this important legislation and brought it to a vote.

It’s been against the law for decades to use someone’s likeness without permission. In fact, our state law protecting an artist’s name, image and likeness was written and became law in 1984, and it too was groundbreaking legislation. The Personal Rights Protection Act of 1984 helped protect the estate of the late Elvis Presley, in fact, which makes the acronym of this new law even more appropriate. That legislation was also championed by Tennessee lawmakers, and it has now been updated to incorporate

a person’s voice into the existing protections for someone’s name, image and likeness.

It is not often that a legislative body votes in unison for a piece of legislation. It is the mark of our state’s emphasis on protecting the individuals who rely on their artistic skill and creativity for their professions, and for protecting our state’s music industry as a whole. It is both the right and the smart thing to do. After all, the music industry is the linchpin for a significant portion of our state’s economy. As the governor’s office reported, “Tennessee’s music industry supports more than 61,617 jobs across the state, contributes $5.8 billion to our GDP, and fills over 4,500 music venues.” That is a considerable portion of our state economy directly supported by the music industry, and it is worth protecting. We should all thank our elected officials in the General Assembly for their development and support of this legislation. The sponsors of this bill are to be applauded.

I find it quite appropriate, too, that the legislation drew support from such a broad spectrum of music professionals. It was not just the country music industry that sounded the alarm to this new threat to personal creativity — it was a who’s-who

of music industry groups from all genres. Country, blues, gospel, contemporary Christian, Americana, folk, R&B — representatives from all of these genres were in support of this legislation. The ELVIS Act has made waves across the country and beyond, with attention being paid by media outlets in other cities where creativity and artistic expression reign. The New York Times commented on this law with the tongue-in-cheek headline “Tennessee Makes A.I. an Outlaw to Protect Its Country Music and More.”

How fitting is it that the name of the ELVIS Act is a nod to one of the world’s most iconic performers? Elvis Presley, while not born in Tennessee, certainly made an impact on our music industry, and he made Tennessee his home. Graceland, his Memphis mansion, has long been a fixture among our state’s most popular tourist destinations. Some of his earliest and most successful recordings were made on Nashville’s famed Music Row in legendary studios with many of the city’s iconic session musicians. Legend has it that Elvis’ 1961 visit to the state Capitol was accompanied by so many screaming fans that people reported feeling the foundation of the

building shake! It’s also quite fitting that this law was finalized and voted on by both the state House and Senate within days of the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s March 8, 1961, visit to the Tennessee General Assembly.

The fact that Tennessee is the first state to enact such protective legislation is a testament to the importance of our music industry and to the community support our state is famous for. We take care of each other here in Tennessee, and this law is the perfect example of that.

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.

Gov. Bill Lee signs ELVIS Act into law. PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF THE GOV. BILL LEE

OPINION

CAKE DISASTER

Jill’s Carrot Cake was absolutely delicious. What made it inedible was that it ended up on the floor as I transferred it to fridge after I spent all morning making and frosting it. I let cake cool before frosting it but not long enough. The frosting between 2 cake layers had melted, causing cake to slide off.

TRUMP’S BIBLE

So Former POTUS Donald J Trump is now selling bibles, oh my what a switch. I

thought that it was sort of hypocritical of him so I looked up HYPOCRITE in the dictionary just to see if my assessment was correct and low and behold I was correct but, in the dictionary not only was the definition as I thought, but Trumps picture was included in the definition. Go figure. Well at least this time he was holding the bible right side up, not like the last time.

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

Send your comments to tickedoff@thenewstn.com

Tennessee Renaissance Festival to take place throughout May

The Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department (WCPR) announced that the 38th annual Tennessee Renaissance Festival will take place May 4-27.

The event, which takes place at Castle Park in Arrington, will be open every Saturday and Sunday in May, as well as on Memorial Day. The festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Parking is free, and the parking gates open at 8 a.m., with ticket scanning beginning at 9. General admission tickets are $25 for adults, $5 for children ages 3-12, and free for children ages 2 and younger.

Royal Court passes will be on sale until April 22 and will cost $200, while season passes will be on sale until May 3 at $100. Both are good for admission on all nine days of the event. Tickets can be purchased here.

“As we embark on another year hosting the Tennessee Renaissance Festival, we are excited to welcome everyone back to the festival grounds at Castle Park,” WCPR department director Gordon Hampton said

in a news release. “Our staff has worked tremendously hard on updating sections of the park and adding new experiences to this time-honored, beloved event. We look forward to seeing you this spring at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.”

According to the release, attendees will “travel back to 16th Century England where the Village of Covington Glen comes alive with the bustle of a Renaissance Marketplace.”

The festival will feature the usual attractions such as jousting, knife throwing, tea time and meet-and-greats with the queen, and a variety of medieval food and crafts, this year’s event will also have several new additions including a role-playing game experience and The Queen’s Promenade, “an exquisite dance course designed for the distinguished few who wish to master the art of Regency dance.”

For detailed information on this year’s festival, admission options, and to purchase tickets, visit tnrenfest.com.

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City of Forest Hills

Planning Commission

Notice of Public Hearing

April 18th, 2022 – 6:00 p.m. City Hall

The Planning Commission members for the City of Forest Hills will hold a Public Hearing on April 18th at 6:00 p.m. at the City Hall, 6300 Hillsboro Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37215. The purpose of the Public Hearing will be to consider a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for amendments and additions to the city’s Zoning Ordinance.

Changes to the Zoning Ordinance are being considered to update and improve what is currently in place.

Copies of Zoning Ordinance are available for review at the City Hall during regular business hours.

Copies are also available from the city’s website at www.cityofforesthills.com.

For further information, contact Mark Hill / City Manager at (615) 372-8677 or mark.hill@cityofforesthills.com.

Jousting at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival

PHOTO COURTESY OF WCPR

Local United Way CEO to retire at year’s end

Brian Hassett has overseen Greater Nashville office since 2017, joined nonprofit as intern in 1978

STAFF REPORTS

United Way of Greater Nashville has announced that Chief Executive Officer Brian Hassett plans to retire on Dec. 31 after 47 years with the nonprofit.

According to a release, Hassett has served as president and CEO of United Way of Greater Nashville since December 2017.

Originally from the Bronx, Hassett began working with United Way in 1978 as a national intern in Rochester, N.Y.

In 1990, Hassett was named president and CEO of United Way of Central Massachusetts. He then led numerous nonprofits including United Ways of Phoenix, Chicago and Albany, N.Y. He has served as president and CEO of United Way of Greater Nashville since December 2017.

Under Hassett’s leadership, the United

its footprint to include nine counties — Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Houston, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart and Williamson — and most recently completed a merger with Hands On Nashville to increase volunteer services in Middle Tennessee.

“We are so grateful for Brian’s unwavering commitment and service to the mission of United Way,” Alberto Gonzales, chair of the United Way of Greater Nashville Board of Trustees, said in the release.

The board has named an executive search task force to be led by member James Weaver.

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

Google Fiber names GM for South region

STAFF REPORTS

Google Fiber today announced that Nick Fischer has been named South region general manager, covering market operations in Tennessee, Alabama and Florida.

According to a release, Fischer is based in Nashville, with his position new to the company.

Since joining GFiber in 2014, Fischer

has held various leadership roles in the company’s Nashville office, most recently having served as chief of staff to Rocco Laurenzano, GFiber chief operating officer. Prior to that, he worked as a sourcing manager for global management consulting firm AT Kearney.

Fischer received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Purdue University and an MBA degree from Ohio State University.

Fischer assumes the GM role as GFiber recently hit milestones in the region, include a 20-gigabit plan in Huntsville, celebrating 10 years of operations in Miami and launching 5- and 8-gigabit plans in Nashville.

“At its core, GFiber has always believed that fast, quality internet should be accessible to everyone, helping to connect people to limitless opportunities and each other,” Laurenzano said in the release. “It’s an exciting time for GFiber as we work to expand our network across the country and specifically in the South Region through Nick’s leadership.”

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

East Bank labor agreement hailed as ‘refreshing’ Fallon, LiUNA sign worker safety, pay guarantee as Metro Council vote looms

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT, NASHVILLE BANNER

This article 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.

East Bank master developer The Fallon Company and the Local 386 chapter of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) have inked a memorandum of understanding related to worker safety, pay and other benefits, a move labor advocates are calling “refreshing.”

The agreement, to which Metro is not a party, was signed last week. The Fallon Company’s deal with Metro goes before Metro Council for a second reading on Tuesday.

Ethan Link, vice president of LiUNA

Local 386, said the agreement, which the Banner reviewed, “sets forth the fairest metrics of competition for construction contractors who do right by workers and who don’t cut corners.” The document primarily focuses on horizontal infrastructure work and does not guarantee work on the project for LiUNA-affiliated entities.

According to Link, the MOU establishes a priority in the bidding process for contractors seeking to work for Fallon based on track record and future commitments to worker safety, on-time pay and health care benefits. Link said the agreement applies to worker conditions and not broader policy considerations such as affordable housing makeup or other community benefits. A company could also get a leg

City of Forest Hills

Board of Commissioners

Notice of Public Hearing

April 18th, 2024 – 5:00 p.m.

City Hall

The Board of Commissioners for the City of Forest Hills will hold a Public Hearing on April 18th at 5:00 p.m. at the City Hall, 6300 Hillsboro Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37215.

The purpose of the Public Hearing will be to consider Resolution #2024-01 for the appropriation of funds out of the city’s general fund to the Pencil Foundation (A Non-Profit Civic Organization).

The amount of the appropriation is $200,000.00, and will be used for the construction upgrades on the new Percy Priest Elementary School which is located in the City of Forest Hills at 1700 Otter Creek Road, Nashville TN 37215.

A copy of the Resolution will be available for review at the City Hall during regular business hours. Copies are also available from the city’s website at www.cityofforesthills.com.

For further information, contact Mark Hill, City Manager, at (615) 372-8677 or mark.hill@cityofforesthills.com.

Nick Fischer PHOTO COURTESY OF GFIBER

East Bank labor agreement

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

up in the bidding process if it agrees to work with registered apprenticeship programs, specifically Music City Construction Careers (MC3), a training program for Nashvillians seeking to enter the trades.

“It’s refreshing to us that the developer saw this as a priority,” Link said. “We had shared values around that, which for years has not been the norm here in Nashville. … It’s a totally different posture than what we’re used to.”

Some enforcement mechanisms will be developed as work unfolds on the East Bank, but Link said contractors can be prequalified by showing a commitment to safety and submitting a workforce development plan. LiUNA and Fallon will continue to meet and discuss compliance in the coming years, according to the MOU.

“That’s a new way of doing business in this city,” Link told the Banner (read here). “And I think once we see the finished product, and everybody sees that development can be different, there’s going to be a sea change in what the standard is.”

Among the guarantees are avenues for reporting wage theft in different languages, a living wage floor, monthly pay verification requirements for subcontractors and a public dashboard showing engagement of small and women- and minority-owned businesses. In the separate agreement with Metro, as proposed, Fallon is committing to, but is not bound to, some of the same priorities.

“We look forward to helping transform the East Bank into a vibrant, inclusive neighborhood, said Brian Awe, president of The Fallon Company. “We’re committed to continuing our collaboration with the community and Metro to deliver a project that reflects our collective vision, prioritizes workforce safety and advancement, enhances the cityscape and uplifts residents.”

District 5 Metro Councilmember Sean Parker, who chairs the council’s Ad Hoc

East Bank Committee, recalled the 2020 death of 16-year-old Gustavo Ramirez at a construction site on the East Bank in praising the collaboration of Fallon and LiUNA.

“We’ve had a fatality of a minor on the East Bank already,” Parker told the Banner. “That’s a tragedy, and these things are preventable with robust safety guidelines. We see wage theft time and time again where the subcontractor of a subcontractor of a subcontractor is running some totally shady operation and there’s no accountability. And then you’ve got a bunch of workers just left out in the cold after busting their tails on a job site for weeks, months, sometimes longer than that. Seeing a commitment on the front end to mitigate those things is meaningful.”

Parker said he was particularly excited about the possibility for Nashville students, like those in the MC3 pilot program at Maplewood High School, “to go straight into good-paying, high-demand careers in the trades.”

“Seeing and hearing the commitments up front is something that we don’t usually get from folks, and so that means a lot,” Parker added. “It’s refreshing.”

Legislation creating a new East Bank authority to oversee the project is still pending in the state legislature. Metro Chief Development Officer Bob Mendes told Metro councilmembers last month that the city had backup plans ready in case the legislation fails.

Cydney Jenkins, a 2022 graduate of MC3 who lives in Nashville but mainly works on construction projects out of the county, told the Banner she supported the effort.

“Having that East Bank job, if it was set up in those ways, it would make me feel secure,” she said. “It would make me feel appreciated on the job, but it would also give me the chance to not be so far away from my children.”

Vanderbilt to launch college focused on computer science, AI University begins process of establishing first new college since 1981 merger with Blair music school

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Vanderbilt has begun work to establish a college — to be the institution’s first addition in more than 40 years — dedicated to computer science, artificial intelligence, data science and related fields, university leaders announced last Monday.

According to a press release, the search for the future college’s dean is scheduled to begin in late August, with recruiting of faculty to begin “in the coming months.”

Once operational, the College of Connected Computing will represent the first new college at Vanderbilt since the university and the Blair School of Music merged in 1981 and will be the school’s fifth college (joining Blair, the College of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering and Peabody College of Education and Human Development).

In addition to meeting an ever-increasing demand for degrees in technological fields and advancing research in quickly evolving, computing-related disciplines, the future interdisciplinary college will allow for collaboration between Vanderbilt’s schools and colleges to “advance breakthrough discoveries and strengthen computing education through a ‘computing for all’ approach,” the release notes.

Many of the specific details about the future College of Connected Computing — including its departments, degree programs and research infrastructure — will be informed by recommendations of a task force on connected computing composed of faculty from across the university, according

to the release.

The eventual dean of the College of Connected Computing will report to Vanderbilt Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Cybele Raver and to School of Engineering Dean Krishnendu “Krish” Roy. Relatedly, and in addition, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation Padma Raghavan will launch a Computing Catalyst working group that will engage faculty and staff leaders in computing from across campus and solicit their input for expanding the university’s computing resources.

A cost to undertake the effort is not being disclosed.

“Of all the factors shaping society, few are more influential than the rapid emergence of advanced computing, AI and data science,” Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said in the release.

“To continue to carry out our mission, prepare all our students for their careers and advance research across the university, Vanderbilt must contribute even more to the study, understanding and innovative application of these fast-changing disciplines. Our aim is to make Vanderbilt a global leader in these fields, ensuring our continued academic excellence and capacity for worldchanging innovation.”

In addition to its four undergraduate schools, Vanderbilt offers graduate and professional schools in divinity, graduate studies, law, business, nursing and medicine.

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

Kirkland Hall PHOTO COURTESY OF VANDERBILT

Nashville’s East Bank

PHOTO BY AERIAL INNOVATIONS

Five free and cheap family things to do in Middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

No two events are the same on this week’s slate of free and cheap things to do. A solar eclipse is on the calendar for April 8, and Vol State is hosting an educational event ahead of the event in cooperation with a NASA ambassador. There’s a spring craft show at an orchard. In Williamson County, the whole family can enjoy tea and treats with their favorite storybook characters. Lakeshore Learning Store offers an investigation for your budding detective. And food waste is in the spotlight for Food Waste Prevention Week with a special event for the whole

family at Yazoo Brewing.

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:

2024 SOLAR ECLIPSE COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENT

On April 5 from 3:30-4:30 p.m., the Middle Tennessee area will be in the right place to witness a solar eclipse. At Vol State in Springfield, they’re hosting an event ahead of the eclipse to learn about the science

behind the eclipse.The event will feature a NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassador who will deliver a demonstration and hands-on activities to further your knowledge of the eclipse. The event is free and eclipse glasses will be handed out for all who attend while supplies last.

SPRING CRAFT SHOW AT BREEDEN’S ORCHARD

On April 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Spring Craft Show At Breeden’s Orchard offers a day of shopping with more than 35 local vendors on site. Vendors are limited to those who hand make their items or those who offer homegrown, small batch items. There will be live music and food from Feeding Frenzy BBQ, The Dog House and Tennessee Tatercakes. The meadery will also be open for tastings and flights.

A PRINCESS TEA

On April 6 at the Williamson County Enrichment Center, families can come at 10 a.m. for a “world of enchantment” at its Princess Tea Party. The two-hour event is $10 for parents and $20 for children. It includes many children’s favorite characters from fairy tales and storybooks. There will be princesses, princes and magical creatures in a whimsical setting. The center will also serve

tea and treats and deliver a special storytime with a mysterious guest.

LAKESHORE’S CRACK THE CASE

At Lakeshore Learning Store, they’re hosting a detective challenge designed just for kids on April 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. At this event, which is for children over 3 years old, kids will solve the mystery of the missing cake while utilizing decoders, uncovering clues and investigating potential hiding places. Children must have an adult present.

NASHVILLE’S FOOD WASTE PREVENTION WEEK EVENT

Nashville is participating in Food Waste Prevention Week, a nationwide initiative designed to educate communities on sustainability and techniques to reduce waste. The Network for Sustainable Solutions is slated to partner with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation at Yazoo Brewing from 1-4 p.m. on April 6. The event is family friendly and teaches the whole family how to reduce food waste at home. Guests will also be guided through the life cycle of food as well as learn about cooking and worm bin composting and will have a chance to win a weekend getaway to a Tennessee State Park.

Struggling to win, Nashville SC finds positives, negatives in latest draw

Mukhtar scores first goal of year, Godoy adds bicycle goal against Columbus

BY JOHN GLENNON

Nashville SC fans can be forgiven for feeling a wide range of emotions following the team’s 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew on Saturday.

Did the outcome, against Major League Soccer’s reigning champs, represent a muchneeded bounce back following the worst loss in franchise history?

Or did it represent disappointment, the third time this season Nashville has held a second-half lead only to wind up

deadlocked?

Should there be relief that the team’s most valuable player, midfielder Hany Mukhtar, scored his first MLS goal of the season — just his third league goal in the past 16 contests? Should there be excitement over midfielder Anibal Godoy’s stunning bicyclekick goal?

All questions were valid following Nashville’s fourth draw in its first six MLS games. The Boys in Gold (1-4-1) find themselves in 11th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference, with Saturday’s home game against Philadelphia on the horizon.

“[It was] wonderful to get Hany [Mukhtar] on the score sheet, and an outstanding goal from Anibal,” Nashville coach Gary Smith said. “I think most importantly, a response after a difficult week last week was paramount, and I thought there were some really good stages in the game ... But, at the moment with so many changes occurring, we managed to get ourselves a point on the board, and I think the frustration will be about not winning it.”

The best news for Nashville, outside of the point earned, was Mukhtar’s goal, a one-timer from about six yards following one of Jacob Shaffelburg’s two assists from the left side. It snapped an 11-game league goal drought for the 2022 MVP, who had last scored in an MLS game on Sept. 23, 2023.

The most electrifying moment came in first-half stoppage time, when Godoy — who had scored just twice in 71 previous MLS starts — leapt into the air, back to goal, and delivered a stunning bicycle-kick goal into the lower right corner. But by game’s end, Godoy was left frustrated, the result of a 73rd-minute, point-blank miss that could

Or was it frustrating that Nashville’s defense, playing without injured backs Walker Zimmerman, Lukas MacNaughton and Shaq Moore, surrendered multiple goals for the fifth time in the last six games across all competitions?

Lipscomb’s Acuff named

STAFF REPORTS

Lipscomb University men’s basketball coach Lennie Acuff has been named one of 20 finalists for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year award.

The award honors those who not only achieve success on the basketball court, but who display moral integrity on and off it as well.

Acuff has guided the Bisons for the past five seasons, posting an overall record of 85-72 and a 55-41 mark in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Lipscomb recorded its second straight 20-win season in 2023-24, finishing 20-12. The Bisons were 11-5 in the A-Sun, finishing third before falling to North Alabama in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

finalist

A head coach for 27 years, Acuff owns a career record of 640-396, which includes a 437-214 mark in 22 seasons at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

The Skip Prosser Award was first bestowed in 2008, a year after Prosser died of an apparent heart attack while at his office in Wake Forest. He had just returned from a morning jog.

In six years with the Deacons, Prosser posted a 126-68 record. For his career, he was 291-146 in 14 seasons, including six as the head coach at Xavier and one year at Loyola (Maryland).

Lennie Acuff

have given Nashville a 3-1 lead.

“I don’t know if I’ve scored another goal like this in my life, really,” Godoy said. “I am happy for the goal but disappointed for the draw, because we needed a win. I don’t care if I score a really good goal; I want to win. But we have to now focus on this [coming] week. This is our start already, we have so many games left. We have to wake up early to try to jump up in the table.”

Nashville’s ability to make progress in the standings should get a boost from a steady trickle of players returning to health in the near future.

MacNaughton (hip) missed his second straight game but is likely to return soon, possibly Saturday. Smith said last week that Zimmerman, who has played just 98 minutes in MLS games this season, could be available for Saturday. But Nashville may choose to be cautious, as a bye the following week would give Zimmerman two more weeks of recovery.

Forward Tyler Boyd (groin) is expected back on Saturday, and even midfielder Randall Leal (hip) — who hasn’t played a minute this year — has at least resumed practicing.

Once the walking wounded resume their rightful places, it will be easier to answer the many questions surrounding Nashville early in the season.

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

for Skip Prosser award

Anibal Godoy PHOTO COURTESY NASHVILLE SC

SPORTS

Ensworth baseball coach Jason Maxwell to take on AD role

Former MLB player, MTSU star to replace Hall of Fame coach Ricky Bowers

BY LOGAN BUTTS

Following last month’s announcement that legendary coach Ricky Bowers would be stepping down from his role as athletic director and associate head of school, Ensworth announced on Tuesday that longtime baseball coach Jason Maxwell would be taking on the role.

Maxwell has been the school’s head baseball coach for 19 years, since the program was founded in 2004. He will take over as AD when Bowers transitions into his new role as athletic administrator emeritus at the end of the school year.

“I am beyond excited to be named the next athletic director at Ensworth,” Maxwell said in a release from the school. “I am deeply honored and thankful for this opportunity. The Ensworth community has become such a special place for my family over the past 20 years, and this position is one that I cannot wait to embrace.”

Maxwell, who led Ensworth to its only

baseball state tournament appearance in 2019, played three seasons in the MLB for the Chicago Cubs and the Minnesota Twins and spent more than a decade playing baseball professionally.

The Lewisburg native was a two-time all-conference honoree at Middle Tennessee State, where he helped lead the Blue Raiders to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

“I look forward to continuing the legacy of the Ensworth athletic program set forth by my predecessor, Ricky Bowers, as I aim to impact, inspire, and lead our student-athletes and athletic department in their future endeavors with hopes of them becoming people of high character and integrity on and off of the field of play.”

The decorated Bowers will be advising Ensworth’s coaches in his new role. During his long career as a coach, Bowers won 15 state championships - five with Ensworth boys basketball, four with Ensworth

football, and three each with MBA football and basketball.

The Nashville native was a three-sport star at MBA before becoming an all-conference basketball player at Lipscomb University, where he finished his career as the program’s all-time leader in assists.

Bowers is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the Lipscomb Athletics Hall of Fame.

“Coach Maxwell is a wonderful man and model of kindness,” Bowers said. “Ensworth is and has been fortunate to have him and his beautiful family flourish in this community for 20 years. I am thrilled to know he will have this new opportunity and remain in this community for years to come.”

Vanderbilt men’s basketball hiring James Madison coach

BY JOHN GLENNON

Vanderbilt’s next men’s basketball coach has a far greater background in the college game than did his predecessor.

The school announced Monday that it’s hiring James Madison’s Mark Byington to replace Jerry Stackhouse.

Byington is fresh from leading James Madison to its first round-of-64 NCAA Tournament victory since 1983, as the 12th-seeded Dukes knocked off fifth-seeded Wisconsin last week. JMU’s tournament run came to an end when it was thumped 93-55 by Duke on Sunday, but the Dukes (32-4) still recorded the most wins in school history, including a victory against Michigan State. James Madison had won 14 straight games prior to the Duke loss, the team’s second 14game winning streak of the season.

The 47-year-old Byington, a Salem, Va., native, has been a head coach in the college ranks for 11 years. That number offers a stark contrast to the resume previously held by Stackhouse, who had never been a college assistant or head coach before being named Vandy’s head coach in 2019 by former athletic director Malcolm Turner.

“Vanderbilt is getting an extraordinary coach and person in Mark Byington,”

Commodores athletic director Candice Storey Lee said in a release. “From our first conversations, Coach Byington impressed me with his competitiveness, his intensity, his passion for developing young men on and off the court, his love for the game, and his plan to elevate Vanderbilt men’s basketball to new levels of success.

“I was struck by the shared passion that we have for what this basketball program can be and for all that is possible at this great institution. I was also impressed with Mark’s approach to building an elite culture and his desire to fully immerse himself in all corners of Commodore Nation. He has proven his ability to turn programs around at Georgia Southern and James Madison by working tirelessly and communicating a shared vision. I could not be more excited about the future of our men’s basketball program.”

The Commodores parted ways with Stackhouse after five seasons, in which Vanderbilt posted a 70-92 record, 28-60 in the Southeastern Conference. Vandy did not play in the NCAA Tournament under Stackhouse.

Byington spent the past four seasons at James Madison, leading the Dukes to an 82-36 record (.695 winning percentage),

which included a 54-15 mark over the past two years. The Dukes won the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season championship in his first season, 202021, and captured the Sun Belt Conference tournament title this year.

Prior to JMU, Byington was head coach at Georgia Southern for seven seasons, leading the Eagles to a 131-97 record (.575 winning percentage) during his tenure. Georgia Southern won at least 20 games in each of Byington’s final three seasons at the school.

Byington was an assistant coach for one season at Virginia Tech (2012-13) under James Johnson. But he had a much longer stint at the College of Charleston, where he served as Bobby Cremins’ top assistant for seven seasons.

As a college player for North CarolinaWilmington, Byington averaged 9.5 points per game during his career (1994-98).

“I’m thrilled and honored to be the head men’s basketball coach at Vanderbilt University,” Byington said in the release. “I know Commodore fans are eager for success and we will get there together. I was blown away by the passion and enthusiasm of Vice Chancellor and Athletic Director

Candice Storey Lee and Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. We share the same vision that Vanderbilt basketball belongs as one of the nation’s elite programs. I look forward to meeting the fans, alumni, students and all of Commodore Nation. Our time is coming. Get ready!!!”

Byington faces a significant challenge at Vandy, as the Commodores are coming off a 9-23 season, one that marked the third time in five years the team had won 11 games or fewer.

Personnel concerns must be addressed, as the program’s point guard, Ezra Manjon, has exhausted his eligibility. In addition, four other key players — forwards Colin Smith and Lee Dort, as well as guards Tyrin Lawrence and Jason Rivera-Torres — have entered their names in the NCAA Transfer Portal. But both Smith and Rivera-Torres have left the door open for a possible return to Vanderbilt.

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

Jason Maxwell

PHOTO COURTESY OF ENSWORTH

Chicken, Seafood, and Sausage Gumbo

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

You don’t make a pot of gumbo for yourself--you make tomato soup or chicken noodle soup for yourself. According to Paul Prudhomme, gumbo is “a taste, a feeling, a party.” And who would know better? A Sunday night dish you make for family and friends. There is something inherently

celebratory about gumbo. The expensive seafood, the precision of browning the roux to just the right pecan color, and the task of finely chopping the onion, pepper, and celery all combine to make gumbo perfect for special occasions.

SEASONING MIX

1 ½ teaspoons each salt, paprika, thyme leaves, garlic powder, ¾ teaspoons each ground cumin, white pepper, and onion powder

GUMBO

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 chicken quarter (or 2 chicken thighs)

1. Combine ingredients for seasoning mix.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven. Add chicken. Saute until browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan to a large saucepan. Add 8 cups water to cover chicken, and simmer 1 hour. Drain, reserve stock and bone chicken, reserving meat.

3. Add sausage to reserved drippings in the Dutch oven, and sauté until browned and almost done. Remove sausage.

8 cups water (or 8 cups chicken stock)

8 ounces ground sausage

2/3 cup flour

2 cups chopped onion

1 ½ cups chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped parsley

1 pound crab meat and shrimp (total)

4. Add flour ¼ cup at a time to Dutch oven drippings stirring until smooth. Cook roux until browned and a deep caramel color, about 5-6 minutes. Add onion, pepper, celery, parsley, and 2 tablespoons seasoning mix. Whisk well and cook 10 minutes.

5. Add stock to dutch oven, whisking well and cook 20 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken, sausage, and seafood and cook 10 minutes

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.

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44 Achieve widespread recognition

45 Cotton material

47 Calls for deliver y

48 Attire for a toddler

49 Baseball stat

51 Actress Anne of “Wag the Dog”

54 Coated with gold

55 List on display at the airport

58 ___ jokes

59 Popular song

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Headline Homes: February 2024

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

February saw the splitting and sale of a large piece of acreage in Williamson County, along with several high-dollar homes with lush acreage and amenities.

The top sale of the month includes the aforementioned acreage modification, which offers the distinction of being the former home of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

In addition, about half of the month’s homes are custom-built and newly constructed.

Below are February’s top 10 home sales in Nashville and the surrounding counties, ranked by sale price.

1. Bailey Road, Franklin 37064

Buyer: Adam M. Damerow, trustee of 2K Founding Trust

Sale price: $8.55 million

Seller: Little Fawn Farms LLC

Seller’s agent: Tim Thompson, Tim Thompson Premier Realtors

Buyer’s agent: Tom Sullivan, Covey Rise Properties

This property comprises 34 acres carved out of a former 131-acre estate, with a new address attached to the home. The property was sold by Little Fawn Farms LLC, which purchased the 131 acres last year for $14 million. (The home was also formerly owned by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.) The fivebedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom home in Leiper’s Fork offers 9,500 square feet and was designed in a Georgian style.

2. Meadowlark Lane, Brentwood 37027

Buyer: 519 Meadowlark Trust

Sale price: $5.95 million

Sellers: Cameron and Amy Hunt

Sellers’ agent: Jarod Tanksley and Cameron Hunt, Benchmark Realty

Buyer’s agent: Allen Perry, Keller Williams

Realty, and Cameron Hunt, Benchmark Realty

This nearly 9,000-square-foot home sits on a one-acre level lot and also includes a four-car garage. Cameron and Amy Hunt of Hunt Real Estate & Development oversaw this newly constructed five bedroom- and 7.5-bathroom home, with interior features including a golf simulator and wine room.

Cameron Hunt also appears to have been a co-agent for both the sale and purchase.

3. Sneed Road, Nashville 37215

Buyers: Gary K. and Theresa M. Cooper, co-trustees of the Gary K. Cooper and Theresa M. Cooper Joint Trust Agreement

Sale price: $5.75 million

Seller: Grisham Home Builders

Seller’s agent: Erin Krueger, Compass Tennessee

Buyers’ agent: Fran Wolfe, Compass RE

Located mere minutes from Green Hills, this nearly $6 million new build includes white oak floors, an entry fountain and fully sunlit living spaces. The kitchen is highlighted by an in-wall coffee system, luxury appliances and quartzite countertops. There are two bedrooms on the main level and three upstairs, with the primary suite offering a custom white oak paneled ceiling, walk-in closets and a heated bathroom floor. In addition to the bedrooms, there is a media room, wet bar, office and lounge. Outside is a vanishing edge pool tucked into limestone. The listing notes “privacy meets unparalleled elegance/design.”

4. Big East Fork Road, Franklin 37064

Buyer: Kamiko Holdings LLC

Sale price: $5.75 million

Seller: Fox Willow Farm LLC

Seller’s agent: Jane Hunter Hicks and Hunter Huddleston, Leipers Fork Realty

Buyer’s agent: Jameson Roper, Compass Tennessee

Another property with impressive acreage, this home on Big East Fork Road comes with 31 acres on which to enjoy privacy. The acreage is partially wooded and partially pasture, with a creek running alongside. Marketing material notes there is sufficient space to take a hike and never leave your property: “From hiking in the woods, to horseback riding in the pastures, to yoga on the bridge over the creek! This farm is truly one-of-a-kind!” Interestingly, the custom-built home is smaller than your average Headline Home entry: one level, three bedrooms and only 4,000 square feet. Outside with all the acreage, there is also a six-stall horse barn with

its own lounge area, bathroom and heated wash stall. If the home seems too small for those who embrace living large, the site is already approved for a guest house.

5. Georgetown Drive, Nashville 37205

Buyers: Maegan B. Griffin and Martin Bradley Griffin, trustees of The Griffin Family Revocable Trust

Sale price: $4.75 million

Seller: Michael D. Sontag, trustee for the 722 Georgetown Drive Trust

Seller’s agent: Laura Cole, Benchmark Realty

Buyers’ agent: Sydney McCullough, Parks

And speaking of guest houses (as noted in entry No. 4), this property offers one — though it lacks the acreage. On one acre, the main home includes 8,800 square feet with 12-foot ceilings downstairs and 10-foot ceilings on the second level. The small lot is wooded and the guesthouse offers 2,000 square feet for a “retreat, gym, guests or pool house.” The main suite in the home features a sauna and steam room, oversized closet, storm shelter and private terrace with outdoor shower. The property also features a separate 2,000-square-foot home perfect for retreat, gym, guests or pool house, in case that main suite isn’t quite hitting right.

6. Battery Lane, Nashville 37220

Buyer: Francesca Lange

Sale price: $4.4 million

Sellers: Mickey L. and Janice R. Harlow, Trustees of the Mickey L & Janice R Harlow Trust

Sellers’ agent: Hannah Stephenson, Benchmark Realty, and Caroline Smith, Parks Buyer’s agent: Mary Joyce and Aaron Joyce, Corcoran Reverie

This home sits on 2.63 acres within a gated community. With more than 9,000 square feet, the abode is, “meticulously crafted” and “an entertainer’s dream.” The square footage offers a chef’s kitchen that connects to an eat-in kitchen and living room, with three bedrooms on the main level, including the primary suite. The second floor also has three bedrooms, storage space and a large playroom, movie room, home gym and safe room. Along with an outdoor kitchen, pool and fireplace, the backyard also includes a zipline, a creek and a small three-sided barn.

7. Bellevue Drive S., Nashville 37205

Buyer: Stephen Schwartz, Schwartz Family Trust

Sale price: $4,377,500

Seller: Vintage South

Seller’s agent: Shauna W. Brooks, Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty

Buyer’s agent: Allyson Woosley, Parks

This Belle Meade home was listed for nearly $5 million, with buyer Stephen Schwartz acquiring it for a bit under $4.4 million. The abode comes with a private pool

built level with common spaces offering a “New Orleans Style” stone-walled courtyard for entertaining. With nearly 6,300 square feet of interior space, inside, the home offers five bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms.

8. Sneed Road W., Franklin 37069

Buyers: S. Garrett Davis and Courtney G. Davis

Sale price: $4.36 million

Seller: Mjs 2009 Revocable Trust and Matthew Saul

Seller’s agent: Rick French, French King Fine Properties

Buyers’ agent: Matt Crockett and Elizabeth Crockett, Benchmark Realty

Veterinarian Garrett Davis and his wife, Courtney, purchased this five-acre property on the Davidson-Williamson county line. Safely tucked within a gated subdivision, the home’s exterior design offers Cape Codinspired architecture. The main level covers more than 3,500 square feet, with the overall space totaling 5,560 square feet. Out back, there’s a resort-style pool with a waterfall and stone terrace.

9. Franklin Hills Lane, Franklin 37069

Buyers: David and Maci Mishkin

Sale price: $4.25 million

Seller: Hidden Valley Homes

Seller’s agent: Lauren Pennington, The Designated Agency, Inc.

Buyers’ agent: Ashlee Button, Parks

The new owners had this home constructed brand new in Franklin. Custom features include a full glass wall enclosed wine display, an open-concept dining and great room with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the wooded treeline behind the home. Along with five bedrooms, five full baths and four half bathrooms, the abode includes a bonus room, wet bar, walk-in spa shower and five-car garage. There is no swimming pool yet, but there is a “perfect yard for a pool.”

10. Yancey Drive, Nashville 37215

Buyer: 4510 Yancey Drive Revocable Trust

Sale price: $3,995,000

Sellers: Justin and Robyn Purpero

Sellers’ agent: Richard Bryan, Fridrich & Clark Realty

Buyer’s agent: Liza Hach and Joe Hach, Keller Williams Realty

This 2020 pandemic-period build was “improved in 2023” with several new features. The home is located on a cul-de-sac and includes a fully fenced acre lot with a bricked sidewalk and “welcoming front porch.” Inside, there is a luxury bathroom with a rainfall shower, soaking tub, double vanity and oversized dividing closet. Throughout the 5,200 square feet, you’ll find 10-foot ceilings and solid oak hardwood flooring.

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

Yancey Drive PHOTO BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

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