February 23, 2023

State Rep. Hemmer, Sen. Yarbro introduce ‘common sense’ gun bill that pushes for ‘accountability’ with gun thefts from vehicles

BY MATT MASTERS

Newly-elected District 59 State Rep. Caleb Hemmer and District 21 State Sen. Jeff Yarbro, who last week announced his bid for Nashville mayor, have proposed a new bill aimed at holding gun owners accountable when their guns are stolen from vehicles.

The bill would require a person to keep firearms “from ordinary observation and locked within the trunk, utility or glove box, or a locked container securely affixed to the motor vehicle or boat” when a vehicle is unoccupied, and require them to report a loss or theft of a firearm within 24 hours of discovery of the missing weapon.

A violation would result in a Class C misdemeanor which would only be punishable by the completion of a courtapproved firearm safety course

“We want to make sure that this is done in a way that is effective and in a way that works,” Hemmer said, adding that he is himself a gun owner.

On Feb. 14, the Metro Nashville Police Department announced that 149 guns, or 77% of total reported stolen guns so far this year in Nashville, have been taken from vehicles.

In an interview with The News, Hemmer specifically cited the 2019 murder of 24-year-old Nashville musician Kyle Yorlets in a shooting and armed robbery that involved five juveniles aged 12 to 16 years old who committed the crime with a stolen vehicle and stolen gun.

Hemmer also spoke of his own personal experience as a student at Nashville’s John Trotwood Moore Middle School in 1994 when an accidental shooting claimed the

life of 13-year-old Terrance Murray in what was the first and only instance of fatal gun violence in a Metro Nashville Public School.

“I have the scars of this everyday, so I want to make sure that people lock up their guns and be responsible gun owners,” Hemmer said. “This is a really big selfinflicted wound that we have in this state and something that we can do something about pretty easily.”

“It’s genuinely a no-brainer to stop leading the nation in letting criminals get free guns out of unlocked cars,” Yarbro said in a Facebook post. “Proud to be working with Rep. Caleb Hemmer on a solution.”

Hemmer said that he has had conversations with local law enforcement agencies, and has earned the support of Moms Demand Action, a group focused on promoting public safety measures related to guns and gun violence, but added that he did not hear back from either the Tennessee Firearms Association or the National Rifle Association when he attempted to get their input on the bill.

“We need to do something better, doing nothing is not going to work anymore,” Hemmer said. “So we need to do something to help Tennesseans create some accountability for their actions and be more safe in terms of their firearm storage.”

State Sen. Jeff Yarbro announces bid for mayor

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

State Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) launched a campaign for mayor Friday.

Yarbro, an attorney at Bass, Berry & Sims, was first elected to the Senate in 2014 and was most recently reelected in November. He spent four years as Senate minority leader.

The lawmaker initially emerged on the political scene in 2010 when he narrowly lost a Democratic primary race against longtime Sen. Douglas Henry. Four years later, he won the seat.

campaign, with tensions between Metro Government and the Tennessee General Assembly continuing to worsen in recent months. He arrived at the legislature as the body had recently transitioned from generational Democratic leadership to Republican dominance. As the leader of the tiny Senate Democratic Caucus, Yarbro frequently found himself as the lone voice on a committee or in news stories opposing conservative priorities or supporting doomed Democratic ones.

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Last week also saw an announcement from the Biden administration and the U.S. Justice Department of an investment of more than $231 million in funding to 49 states, territories and the District of Columbia as part of the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, with the goal of reducing gun violence nationally.

Yarbro sees his near-decade in the legislature as an asset in the mayoral

“The question facing this city is who will decide Nashville’s future,”

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

State Sen. Jeff Yarbro

ALL

INCLUDING: Audi, Lexus, Land Rover, BMW, Jaguar, Infiniti

Yarbro

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Yarbro told the Post via a spokesperson. “Will it be legislators from other parts of the state and investors from other parts of the country? Or will Nashvillians decide our own future? Will it be shaped by — and for — developers, or will we build a better Nashville for the people who live, work and raise our families here?”

With Mayor John Cooper declining to run for reelection, Yarbro is among a growing field of potential successors.

Retired AllianceBernstein executive Jim Gingrich, Metro Councilmembers Sharon Hurt and Freddie O’Connell, and former Metro official Matt Wiltshire are all actively campaigning.

At-Large Metro Councilmember Bob Mendes said Monday that he would not enter the race. He publicly considered a campaign after Cooper announced earlier this month he would not seek reelection.

Late last week, former Metro Nashville Public Schools Board Member Fran Bush said she would run for mayor. Bush lost a bid for reelection to the school board last year.

Among those still considering running are state Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) and Metro Property Assessor Vivian Wilhoite.

The qualifying deadline is May 18.

“The shape of this conversation has changed a lot recently, now that Mayor Cooper isn’t seeking reelection, and the legislature is accelerating its attacks against Nashville,” Yarbro said. “We’ve got to come together as a city and fight for the Nashville we believe in. It’s time for us to invest in ourselves.”

In a release, Yarbro said he would focus on “safe neighborhoods, affordable homes, great public schools and city services that folks can count on,” professing priority for neighborhoods and affordability over development represented by “the cranes dotting Nashville’s skyline.”

Yarbro had nearly $146,000 in his state campaign account as of last month, funds that can be transferred to a mayoral bid. He grew up in Dyersburg before attending Harvard University and the University of Virginia School of Law. He is married to Tyler Chance Yarbro, managing partner of law firm Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella.

Yarbro is leaving Bass, Berry & Sims, where he has practiced since 2005, to focus on the mayoral campaign.

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

Tennessee leaders consider forgoing federal education funds

The move would mean less federal oversight

for Tennessee schools

BY KELSEY BEYELER

State House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) is pushing legislation to opt the state out of federal K-12 education funding in order to gain more control over Tennessee schools.

“Tennessee is currently receiving about $1.8 billion in federal K-12 education funding,” Sexton’s spokesperson Doug Kufner said in a statement. “What the speaker is considering is using state funds to replace federal dollars currently flowing in to fund education in our state without federal stipulations. He believes all children should receive a high-quality education — the Tennessee way — regardless of where they live.”

These federal dollars account for $1.8 billion of the state’s education budget, which totaled around $8.3 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, and they support services that benefit English learners, low-income students and those with disabilities. The Associated Press, which initially broke the

story on Wednesday, notes that no other state has forgone federal education funding before, and that Sexton has started discussing this bill with Gov. Bill Lee, lawmakers and lobbyists. Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) is co-sponsoring a caption bill with Sexton that would make room for this legislation to be considered. According to the AP, both McNally and Lee are open to the proposal.

Sexton has supported wedge-issue-driven education legislation in the past. Last year, for example, he co-sponsored a bill that eventually became a law expanding the state textbook and instructional materials quality commission and giving it the power to ban books across the state.

Last year, the General Assembly passed legislation creating a new education funding formula that is set to go into effect this year. Lee has proposed adding more than $1 billion in recurring funds to the formula. Even still, the Education Law Center last >> PAGE 5

Mayor preps 2028 RNC bid as threats mount

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

many issues — not just on the bills that are here, but also Lower Broadway and cleaning it up and making sure it stays the tourist attraction it needs to be,” Sexton said Thursday, according to WPLN.

Mayor John Cooper has told the Republican and Democratic national committees that Nashville will bid on hosting the parties’ national conventions in 2028, according to an Axios report.

The push comes as the GOP-dominated Tennessee General Assembly continues to threaten reprisal over the Metro Council’s decision not to back a bid for the 2024 RNC.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), one of the main sources of the threats, said a 2028 bid by Nashville could result in Republican leaders taking their foot off the gas.

“I think it would start the process of having a better working relationship on

Cooper reportedly spoke with Sexton Thursday before sending letters to the Republican and Democratic committees. The letters were also signed by retiring Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. CEO Butch Spyridon. Cooper, too, is retiring when his term is up later this year, and the escalating tension between the city and the state could become a major issue in the campaign to succeed him.

The Metro Council would still have to approve an agreement to host a future RNC.

Among the possible punishments on the table at the state legislature: cutting the Metro Council’s membership in half, a state takeover of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority and Metro Sports Authority, defunding the Music City Center convention hall and an end to local runoff elections, the latter an effort seen as creating a path for a conservative to win a mayoral election in liberal Nashville.

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

PHOTO BY HAMILTON M. MASTERS

Mayor John Cooper

Rape kit availability has grown immensely, though a processing backlog remains

BY HANNAH HERNER

had the choice of discharging the patient and directing them to Nashville General, or the police would give them a ride in the back of their car — a potentially traumatic experience in its own right.

“If we had a patient come in saying, ‘I have been sexually assaulted, I’d like a rape kit,’ we would have to look at that patient and say, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you here,’ ” says Brown. “It was heartbreaking. I can only imagine being a woman or having it be my daughter in that scenario, and how disheartening and frustrating that is, especially when you’ve already been victimized.”

the evidence within 30 days. The state’s labs are understaffed, and it’s unclear whether the state has hired the 25 new lab positions announced last fall.

“They are sitting on a shelf until someone has time to pick it up and process it, which is unfortunate,” says Kelly Peters, director of advocacy and director of the SAFE Clinic at the Sexual Assault Center. “I think that’s a societal thing in how we don’t prioritize victims and crimes against women.”

hospitals, patients there to receive a sexual assault forensic exam are considered “high priority” for being taken to an exam room, Brown says. Also as part of trauma-informed care, an advocate from the Sexual Assault Center accompanies the SANE nurse and follows up with the victim if they wish.

Before 2018, there was only one place a victim of sexual assault could get a sexual assault forensic exam, also known as a rape kit, completed in Nashville.

Katrina Brown, lead of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, remembers turning patients away in those years. She

In 2018, the Sexual Assault Center opened its SAFE — or Sexual Assault Forensic Exam — Clinic, prompted by a citywide task force led by then-Mayor Megan Barry. Today, sexual assault forensic exams are available at VUMC, Saint Thomas Midtown and Skyline Medical Center, as well as Nashville General Hospital and the Sexual Assault Center. However, nurses like Brown advise patients to expect to wait at least a year before any action will be taken on their case.

In July 2021, the state legislature passed the Jim Coley Protection for Rape Survivors Act, and one year later implemented a sexual assault kit tracking website. A bill introduced in December would require that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation test

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BILL FREEMAN, OWNER

Nurses who administer rape kits, like Julie Davis and her team of 10 nurse practitioners, hold themselves to a “traumainformed” standard. These nurses are contracted through Nashville General Hospital to respond to calls at area hospitals and the Sexual Assault Center. (VUMC has its own team.) Timing is important, as victims must complete the sexual assault forensic exam within 120 hours of the assault. Davis says when she gets an inquiry from out of the county, she sends them to the Sexual Assault Center.

“We try to send as many people as we can to the Sexual Assault Center, just because of the atmosphere,” Davis says. “It’s not like the emergency department. It’s more personable.”

Brown says it is considered best practice for nurses to complete Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner training before administering rape kits. A rape kit can be administered by a bedside nurse or physician in a pinch, though calling in a SANE nurse team is considered ideal because they’re on call specifically for this task. Additionally, at

“One of the best and most wonderful and unique things about our role is that we have the ability to sit down with a patient and talk to them, because our only priority is that particular patient in that moment of time,” Brown says. “We’re not being pulled out of the room to go see another patient immediately.”

Since it opened, the Sexual Assault Center’s SAFE Clinic has seen a growing number of victims come forward and complete rape kits. Access has improved, though for now, victims will still wait years for the criminal justice system to catch up.

“I think the availability and the sole focus and it not being at a hospital allowed more people to come forward than they probably would have in the years prior,” Peters says. “Just having a place where they know that that’s the only thing that we do, and that it’s going to be probably a faster experience than going to the hospital, and they can be as comfortable here as possible — that they come forward more, which is what the intention was.”

This story originally appeared in our sister publication Nashville Scene.

Country musican Kyle Jacobs found dead in Green Hills home

STAFF REPORTS

WARNING: This story contains information about suicide. If you or a loved one is thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) at 1-800-273-8255. The NSPL provides 24-hour, free support to those in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources for you or loved ones.

Country musician and songwriter Kyle Jacobs was found dead on Friday in his Green Hills home that he shared with his wife and fellow musician Kellie Pickler.

According to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release, Jacobs died of “an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound” in what they said was an act of suicide.

Entertainment tabloid website TMZ first reported the incident which prompted MNPD to issue a statement.

MNPD said that a 911 call was placed at 1:21 p.m. from their Sneed Road home, and emergency responders found 49-year-old Jacobs dead in an upstairs bedroom office.

“Mr. Jacobs’ wife, Kellie Pickler, reported that she awoke a short time earlier, did not see her husband, and began looking for him,” the news release reads. “After she and her personal assistant were unable to open the door to the upstairs bedroom/office, the assistant telephoned 911.”

Jacobs, a Minnesota-native, wrote chart-topping hit songs for other musicians including Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins and Kelly Clarkson among many others.

He starred in CMT’s reality show “I Love Kellie Pickler” alongside his wife, who rose to prominence after appearing on the music competition show “American Idol.”

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Contents of a sexual assault kit used by medical and law enforcement.

Gun bill

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“The Justice Department is working relentlessly to protect communities from violent crime and the gun violence that often drives it, and the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program is an important part of that effort,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in news release. “These awards will support the kinds of crisis intervention programs that we know save lives and help protect children, families, and communities across the country from senseless acts of gun violence.”

Tennessee has been awarded but has not yet accepted the announced $6,722,537 marked for the state.

In 2021, the state implemented a yearlong sales tax holiday on gun safes which was extended until June 30, 2023.

2021 also saw the introduction of the

Tennessee leaders

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

year ranked Tennessee among the bottom states when it comes to per-pupil funding.

“I think it’s very concerning when you talk about ... the state being on the hook for nearly $2 billion of education funding, some of which is paid by our own taxpayers,” said state director of the Education Trust in Tennessee

state’s permit-less handgun bill that was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee in a ceremony inside of Berretta USA’s firearms factory in Gallatin.

That law was the subject of criticism by the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association and Brentwood Police Department among other law enforcement professionals.

““We’ve seen a tremendous amount of juvenile crime in our county and our neighboring city to the north, Nashville. It’s been a huge problem, juvenile crime has been a huge problem, and thefts of guns have been one of the primary catalysts for breaking into cars and stealing cars to get the guns that people leave in their cars,” ThenBPD Police Chief Jeff Hughes said in 2021.

“Overall, this is a uniquely-bad Tennessee problem,” Hemmer said on

the growing numbers of gun thefts from vehicles. “It’s literally putting guns in the hands of criminals.”

2020 and 2021 saw gun sales spike across the United States, including in Williamson County, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, an explosion of protests for racial justice in 2020 and the election of President Biden.

According to the group Everytown for Gun Safety, which utilizes data provided from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 2020, Memphis, Chattanooga, Jackson and Nashville were ranked first, second, fourteenth and fifteenth respectively for the highest reported gun thefts from cars in the country.

The greater debate over guns continues as last month saw the Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issue a new controversial rule meant to further regulate guns equipped with stabilizing braces, a move that has caused uproar within the greater gun-rights community.

That rule is now being challenged in court by Attorney Generals from 25 states, including Tennessee, the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun organizations and companies.

Gini Pupo-Walker. “We may say that we have the money now to replace that money, but we might not in five years. ... If you’re going to take them at face value, [that] they’re going to replace every one of those dollars, well, so be it. But will they be spent the same way? Can students and families expect that the design

of those federal dollars — which is to say, to support students who are most vulnerable, often the most behind — will they be used in the same way? And will the rights of those students be honored and protected?”

Jade Byers, a spokeswoman for Gov. Bill Lee, offered the following statement:

“Although we haven’t seen the details of the legislation yet, the governor is always interested in working with the speaker to ensure Tennessee students have the best access to a high-quality education.”

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

Nashville SC unveils new Johnny Cash-themed ‘Man in Black’ kit

BY MICHAEL GALLAGHER

Wrestlers from Father Ryan, MBA take home

DII individual state championships

BY LOGAN BUTTS

The Division II wrestling state championships took place at Montgomery Bell Academy over the weekend, and several local wrestlers came away with state titles. Let’s take a look at some of the top results from Nashville-area wrestlers from the weekend:

106 WEIGHT CLASS

2nd Place - Tanner Tran of Father Ryan

5th Place - Cash Waymire of Brentwood Academy

6th Place - Luke Brock of Montgomery Bell Academy

113 WEIGHT CLASS

3rd Place - Ethan Lampert of Father Ryan

5th Place - Carson Smith of Brentwood Academy

6th Place - Ethan Klindt of Montgomery Bell Academy

160 WEIGHT CLASS

4th Place - Taylor Wimsatt of Brentwood Academy

6th Place - Griffin Frankfather of Franklin Road Academy

170 WEIGHT CLASS

2nd Place - Matt Oberlander of Father Ryan

Nearly three years ago, The Backline supporter’s group rolled out a tifo at Nashville SC’s first-ever MLS match at Nissan Stadium.

The graphic displayed longtime Tennessee resident and late singer-songwriter Johnny Cash behind a Nashville SC logo, thus setting the wheels in motion for NSC’s new “Man in Black” uniform, which the club unveiled on Friday.

“From the first day we started Nashville Soccer Club, we talked a lot about being ‘uniquely Nashville,’” Nashville SC CEO Ian Ayre said. “This city is steeped in music history and icons of that industry — none more so than the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash.

“From our opening match on Feb. 29, 2020, … there has clearly been a strong connection between both the Cash family and the NSC family. I don’t think there can be a greater tribute to Johnny’s place in music

history or Nashville than to have a team full of Men in Black take the field on behalf of Nashville SC.”

The all-black uniform features a metallic accented version of the Adidas, Nashville SC and Renasant Bank logos on the front of the jersey and MLS, Apple and Hyundai logos on the sleeves, as well as Cash’s autograph on the back of the jersey along the neckline, and a white jocktag of Cash in front of a jail cell at Folsom Prison, a photo taken around the time he performed his live album Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison in January 1968.

Nashville SC will wear the new Man in Black kit during its 2023 home opener against New York City FC on Feb. 25 at 3:30 p.m. CST. The uniform will be used periodically throughout the 2023 and 2024 MLS seasons.

This story originally appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.

6th Place - Luke Johns of Montgomery Bell Academy

120 WEIGHT CLASS

1st Place - Joe Calvin of Father Ryan

3rd Place - Hudson Frazier of Montgomery Bell Academy

5th Place - Brycen Jones of Goodpasture

126 WEIGHT CLASS

3rd Place - Brody Gobbell of Father Ryan

132 WEIGHT CLASS

1st Place - Casen Roark of Father Ryan

4th Place - Andrew Connow of Pope John Paul II

5th Place - Jake Frazier of Montgomery Bell Academy

138 WEIGHT CLASS

4th Place - Aron Tenpenny of Father Ryan

6th Place - Bo Donnelly of Brentwood Academy

145 WEIGHT CLASS

1st Place - Chancery Deane of Father Ryan

3rd Place - Tyson Wolcott of Friendship Christian School

4th Place - Mac Russ of Montgomery Bell Academy

5th Place - Jack Ward of Brentwood Academy

152 WEIGHT CLASS

3rd Place - Chase Eakes of Friendship Christian School

4th Place - Sawyer Rutherford of Father Ryan

6th Place - Ian Carlig of Battle Ground Academy

182 WEIGHT CLASS

2nd Place - Johnothon Moore of Montgomery Bell Academy

3rd Place - Brody Belville of Brentwood Academy

195 WEIGHT CLASS

1st Place - Browning Trainer of Montgomery Bell Academy

3rd Place - Tim Brunet of Father Ryan

4th Place - David Demorest of Battle Ground Academy

5th Place - Peyton Woodard of Nashville Christian School

220 WEIGHT CLASS

1st Place - Gabe Fisher of Montgomery Bell Academy

2nd Place - Jaden Potts of Nashville Christian School 3rd Place - Bobby Council of Franklin Road Academy

4th Place - Jeremiah Rhames of Battle Ground Academy

285 WEIGHT CLASS

1st Place - Max Fisher of Montgomery Bell Academy

2nd Place - Devin Lively of Friendship Christian School

4th Place - Abraham Cromartie of Father Ryan

This story originally appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.

PHOTO BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC

United States blanks Japan in SheBelieves Cup match

Nashville

BY LOGAN BUTTS

SC’s Geodis

Park hosts first-ever international match

On Sunday, Geodis Park made its debut on the international stage. The stadium, and Nashville itself, made quite an impression.

The United States Women’s National Team shut out Japan 1-0 on the second match day of the SheBelieves Cup in front of 25,471 impassioned fans.

“It was unbelievable,” the USWNT manager Vlatko Andonovski said. “It was loud. I mean, the support was so obvious and it was just nice to be on the field. I want to thank the fans that showed up, thanks to the city and everyone that made this possible. It was a very good experience.

But Andonovski’s praise didn’t stop there. The two-time National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Coach of the Year said that Nashville should be home to the league’s next franchise, an idea that has been discussed for several years.

“And obviously, I think that it would be nice to see an NWSL team here. There [is] a good stadium, a good environment and it’s very obvious that Nashville supports soccer.”

It was the continuation of a hot streak for Swanson, who has scored six goals in

four games so far in 2023. She has also scored in five consecutive matches, the first USWNT player to do so since Christen Press from November 2019 to February 2020. Her seven career SheBelieves Cup goals ties teammate Megan Rapinoe for the most in the history of the tournament, which debuted in 2016.

Swanson, formerly known as Mallory Pugh, married former Vanderbilt baseball star Dansby Swanson in December. The Chicago Red Stars forward said she had family and friends in the stands at Geodis.

Rapinoe, who came into the match in the 69th minute for Swanson, was impressed with the atmosphere in the stadium.

“This atmosphere was the best we’ve had in a long time. The fans were amazing here. And that’s great for us. That hypes us up and keeps everyone engaged. Nashville’s always a great place to [visit].”

The matchup marked the USWNT’s fifth outing in Nashville, the previous four of which took place at Nissan Stadium, with the most recent coming during the 2019 SheBelieves Cup. The last national team visit

to Nashville overall was when the men’s team drew 1-1 with Canada during World Cup qualifying in September 2021.

In the evening’s second match, Canada beat Brazil 2-0, giving the United States a sizable lead in winning this year’s iteration thanks in part to their 2-0 win over Canada on the first match day.

It would be the club’s fourth consecutive tournament win, with this one coming against perhaps the toughest competition yet. All four teams are ranked in the top 11 in the world according to the latest FIFA rankings: USA is first; Canada, sixth; Brazil, ninth; and Japan, 11th.

The Cup marks one of the final opportunities for USWNT players to earn their way onto the roster for the 2023 World Cup, which is being held in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

The SheBelieves Cup will conclude on Feb. 22 in Dallas where the US will play Brazil and Canada will face Japan.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED STATES SOCCER

BRANSTETTER, STRANCH & JENNINGS PARTNERS SPLITTING, LAUNCHING TWO FIRMS

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Partners of longtime Nashville law firm Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings are splitting and forming two new firms.

Tricia Herzfeld, David Suetholz, Ben Gastel, Joe Leniski Jr. and Michael Wall have established Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski, and Wall, PLLC, or HSGLaW. The firm will focus on civil rights, the opioid epidemic, union-side labor law and complex civil litigation.

“Our firm will build on the important work we’ve been doing in Nashville for many years — protecting those injured by negligence, supporting and fighting for workers’ rights, guiding public utilities and fighting to ensure that people’s civil rights are protected,” Herzfeld said in a release.

Gerard Stranch IV, managing partner of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings and grandson of firm founder the late Cecil Branstetter, is among a group of BSJ partners launching Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, PLLC. Stranch will serve as managing partner of the new firm and be joined by Jim Stranch III (his father and a longtime BSJ partner), Jan Jennings, former state Rep. Mike Stewart, Jack Garvey and Nate Ring. Garvey is based in St. Louis while Ring works from Las Vegas.

Gerard Stranch has been legal counsel for labor groups and the Tennessee Democratic Party and worked on multidistrict litigation against Volkswagen and pharmaceutical companies.

“The DNA of Cecil Branstetter will literally and figuratively continue at Stranch, Jennings & Garvey,” Gerard Stranch said in a release. “We’re excited to announce the formation of Stranch, Jennings & Garvey as we restructure our previous firm. We have a long record of success in representing plaintiffs in a variety of class actions, mass tort proceedings and additional complex litigation across the nation, including some of the most complicated litigation the courts have seen against some of the largest multinational companies in the world.”

The release notes that SJ&G’s primary areas of practice include class action, mass tort, ERISA trust funds, labor unions, bank fees, data breaches, personal injury and other matters.

Branstetter co-founded the firm in 1952 and was a key figure in the establishment of the Metro Nashville government. He died in 2014. Branstetter’s daughter, Jane Branstetter Stranch, is a federal appeals judge who practiced with BSJ prior to her appointment to the bench. Her husband, James Stranch III, and daughter Grace Stranch also practice at BSJ. Branstetter’s son, Dewey Branstetter, left the family firm for Sherrard Roe in 2014.

At HSGLaW, Herzfeld, Gastel, Leniski and Wall are based in Nashville, while Suetholz is based in Louisville. Herzeld is a Davidson County Election Commission member and a former public defender and ACLU attorney. Several of the partners were part of the Branstetter team that sued prescription drug manufacturers and prescribers on behalf of more than two dozen Tennessee local governments, resulting in a $35 million settlement.

BRENTWOOD RESIDENT OSTERBERG TO ASSUME ROLE AS CEO FOR NASHVILLE-BASED SSR

Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (SSR) has announced that Brentwood resident Susan Osterberg has been promoted to president, effective Feb. 1, and will assume the role of CEO on Sept. 1.

Former president and current CEO Steve Lane will remain in his position until Osterberg officially takes over. Lane will continue as chair of the board of directors through 2023 to assist with the transition.

“When I made the decision to retire this year, it was important for myself and the board to select a CEO from within our ESOP-owned firm, one who fit the traits fundamental to our firm’s future,” Lane said in a news release. “In Susan, we have a leader who is a strategic thinker, smart, visionary, and committed to employee growth and wellbeing. I look forward to introducing her to many of our clients and mentoring her these next few months as we

make this transition in leadership.”

Osterberg was previously chief operating officer, a position she held since April 2021. She joined SSR in 2011 as vice president of human resources to lead the efforts in support of strategic initiatives and goals. In 2015, she was named chief administrative officer as part of the executive team leading the firm’s support services group including organizational development, human resources, marketing, and IT. Lane was named to the board of directors in 2017.

Prior to joining SSR, Osterberg spent 22 years with a publicly held multi-concept hospitality company where she led various functions including operations, human resources, training and development, communications, risk management, and IT. During that time the company grew from 10 units to over 350, went public, and grew through several acquisitions.

She earned degrees in both Business Administration and Organizational Communications in 1988 from Concordia College in Minnesota. She is a member of ACEC and was selected to participate in Zweig Group’s inaugural launch of elevate HER. Other involvement has included SHRM Executive Network, ECCF, Association for Talent Development, World at Work, NELA – selection committeeNashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Tennessee Advisory Board.

TRACTOR SUPPLY RETAINS CEO THROUGH 2026

Locally based retailer Tractor Supply will have new board leadership in the coming months.

The farm equipment and supply company announced that board chair Cynthia Jamison will step off the board following the annual shareholder meeting in May. She first joined the board in 2002 and her decision not to run for reelection “is not due to any disagreement” with Tractor Supply, the company said. Jamison has been board chair since 2014 and previously worked for an executive services firm.

The board has tapped Edna Morris, subject to her reelection, to succeed Jamison as chair. Morris has been on the board since 2004 and is CEO of Greenville, S.C.-based Range Restaurant Group.

Additionally, Thomas Kingsbury has stepped down from the Tractor Supply board due to his appointment as CEO of Kohl’s Corporation. Rather than add to the board to fill the vacancies left by Kingsbury and Jamison, Tractor Supply will see its oversight group shrink to eight members.

Meanwhile, Tractor Supply has agreed to retain CEO Hal Lawton until 2026. His contract with the company expired last month, and a new agreement includes three one-year terms running through February 2026. Lawton, previously president of Macy’s, took over at Tractor Supply at the start of 2020.

“Hal and the team have delivered strong

financial performance including record revenue and profitability in 2022,” Morris said. “He has proven to be a strategic and innovative leader with a deep passion for and commitment to Tractor Supply’s mission and values. The board of directors is excited for Hal to continue to lead the business into the future and execute on our strategy.”

Tractor Supply has more than 2,000 stores in 49 states and is headquartered in Brentwood. The company reported revenues of $4.01 billion in the fourth quarter, beating projections by more than 3 percent.

RJ YOUNG ANNOUNCES CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP

Nashville-based office equipment technologies provider RJ Young announced Friday the promotion of AJ Baggott to president of the company.

According to a release, Baggott will oversee the company’s day-to-day operations while former president Chip Crunk will continue to serve as CEO and focus on strategic planning and acquisitions.

Baggott joined RJ Young in 2016 as chief financial officer, transitioning to chief operating officer in October 2018.

Baggott has played a key role in RJ Young’s shift from a document-centric company to a technology solutions and managed services organization. He was responsible for instituting 30-plus new technology solutions during COVID-19. In addition, Baggott has led the organization as it moved from 102 million in annual revenues to current revenue of $168 million in fewer than five years via eight mergers and acquisitions that expanded RJ Young into eleven new markets.

Baggott previously worked at Diversicare and Deloitte. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Lipscomb University.

“I have full confidence in AJ to lead the organization that has been a part of my family for decades,” Crunk said in the release. “I have watched RJ Young flourish under his direction as COO and look forward to seeing what he accomplishes in this new role.”

RJ Young began operations in 1955 and has more than 700 employees working in more than 30 sales and service locations across nine states.

Have a promotion you wish to submit to Business briefs? Send to news@gcanews.com

Country music legend Trisha Yearwood performs at Bluebird Cafe

BY LOGAN BUTTS

Audience members at the Bluebird Cafe were treated to a special performance on Wednesday, Feb. 15 as country music legend Trisha Yearwood played a full set at the famed Green Hills venue.

The concert, which sold out mere minutes after going on sale, was put on in conjunction with a private event held earlier in the evening at the grand opening of Williams Sonoma at the Mall at Green Hills where Yearwood debuted her new signature cocktail mix “Cheers in a Cup.” The event also functioned as a fundraiser for animal rescue charity Dottie’s Yard.

Yearwood performed songs from through-

out her nearly 30-year-long career including big hits like “XXX ’s and OOO’s,” “Walkaway Joe,” and “The Song Remembers When.” The Belmont alum also covered cuts from artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Frank Sinatra in what she estimated was her first show at the Bluebird Cafe since signing her inaugural record deal in 1990.

Toward the end of the show, the three-time Grammy winner said “This is fun. I may have to do this again.” For a venue that is more known for hosting major stars like Taylor Swift and Yearwood’s husband Garth Brooks before they make it big, another performance from an established legend is always welcome.

Tax revenues aren’t enough to cover Bellevue payments

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

The Metro government is not collecting enough property tax revenue to pay off debt related to the 2015 tax-increment financing deal that led to the development of mixeduse center One Bellevue Place.

Metro is not on the hook for the difference, but the under-collection could lengthen the time it takes to retire the debt. As part of the TIF deal, Metro diverts additional property tax revenues from the project for debt payments.

The city did not collect enough to pay the bill on Dec. 1, leaving an unpaid balance of $45,690.99. Metro authorities informed state regulators of the unpaid balance, and the State Funding Board discussed the matter Wednesday, resulting in no penalty for Metro.

According to a state official presenting to the board, this was the first time part of the debt payment has gone unpaid, but payments have relied on reserve funds dating back to 2019. The reserve fund for the project is now depleted.

Preston Hollow Community Capital of Texas holds the bonds.

“If it takes longer for the bonds to be

paid, it will be that much longer before Metro is able to keep the property tax revenue to pay for constituent services and public employee pay,” said At-Large Metro Councilmember Bob Mendes. “The Council has approved two larger [Industrial Development Board] tax increment financing deals since the Bellevue mall. They are Oracle and Madison Station. We need to understand what is happening with the Bellevue mall deal to see if there are lessons to be learned for these other, larger projects.”

The full TIF deal is worth $21,935,000. Metro Finance and Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury officials did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.

One Bellevue Place, built on the site of the demolished Bellevue Center mall, is home to a Home2 Suites hotel, AMC movie theater, the Nashville Predators’ Ford Ice Center, apartment buildings and dining and retail businesses. The mall closed in 2008, with the site later developed by Crosland Southeast.

This story originally appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.

Cheekwood announces dates for return of Bruce Munro LIGHT, 2023 Cheekwood in Bloom

STAFF REPORTS

Cheekwood Garden & Estates announced a pair of events for its upcoming spring slate and beyond as well as an addition to the grounds.

Starting on May 4, the work of British artist Bruce Munro will return to Cheekwood for the first time in 10 years with the opening of LIGHT: Bruce Munro at Cheekwood.

The display, which will be featured through Oct. 27, is a 10th-anniversary celebration of the outdoor art exhibition that Munro brought to Cheekwood in 2013, which, at the time, was just his second presentation in North America.

LIGHT will feature 10 immersive, grandscale light productions that will be displayed throughout the grounds with a landscape of 12,750 lighted glass spheres titled the “Forest of Light” being the centerpiece.

According to the release, the display will “portray how Munro has changed and evolved as an individual in the 10 years since his previous exhibition at Cheekwood, as has his relationship with the site, technology and world around him.”

Bruce Munro’s LIGHT at Cheekwood will be open on select evenings starting May

4. Tickets will go on sale to Cheekwood members on March 6 and will be available beginning March 20 for non-members.

2023 Cheekwood in Bloom will debut on March 11 and stay on display through April 9. Tickets will be on sale soon to experience the more than 250,000 bulbs that bloom in the Cheekwood gardens during the spring. Guided tours will be available every Saturday and Sunday throughout Cheekwood in Bloom, and the tours last 45 minutes to one hour. House and History Tours are available Monday-Friday at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. and weekends at 11:15 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Garden Tours take place weekends at 10 a.m. Tours are walk-up, on a first-come, first-served basis with limited capacity. Visitors can make on-site reservations at the Admissions Building or in the Mansion Foyer. Garden and Mansion admission is required for House and History tours.

Finally, Cheekwood also announced the addition of a new garden shop that is set to open in early spring. The shop will be located at the entrance to the grounds and will offer a variety of decor and gifts.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEEKWOOD ESTATE & GARDENS

Pop-up art exhibit ‘See You Me’ set for Feb. 24-26 at Nashville’s Parthenon

A pop-up photography and mixed media art exhibit will take place at the Parthenon from Feb. 24-26 featuring the work of Karen Elson and Emily Dorio.

“See You Me” is a collaborative show presented by the Centennial Park Conservancy, which according to a news release, “explores the creative relationship and ongoing body of work” between renowned English model Elson and Nashville-based photographer Dorio, featuring large-scale photographs, Super 8 footage and mixed-media sculptures.

“The relationship between the muse and the artist can often be complex as there is always a give and take, often at the detriment to the muse, but between Emily and myself the creative process has always felt equal,” Elson said. “Our shoots have always felt like a true collaboration. As women, creatives and mothers, we have so much in common including the challenges that go with all three. ‘See You Me’ is the trinity of the relationships that go into the female creative self.”

The show will be located in the upper

level of the Parthenon in Nashville’s Centennial Park, which is open from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m, Monday-Thursday, from 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“So much of our work is for someone else - our body, soul and lens - to sell an idea, a product, a time in a place,” Dorio said. “This work is the work that is between and what remains for us. This collection of images is our commune and coven to explore our unaided original voices and visions.

“Karen - the most perfect muse - a chameleon of all things earth and beyond - shape shifts from intimate portraits to otherworldly creatures to explore what it is to be a visual artist. These are the images where our creative self can meet the other creative self. “See You Me” borrows religious themes to propose the idea of TRINITY OF CREATIVE SELF as a mode of creative process, divisions and ultimate beauty in a content driven field.”

Five free and cheap family things to do in middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

We’re in that part of the year where Mother Nature can’t quite decide what’s happening outside. Are we still in winter? Maybe. Luckily, we’ve had enough nice days out between the major dips in temps, and this list reflects choices to stay warm inside or to brave the outdoors and trust that the weather will play nice.

This week we have a free movie for the whole family down in Rutherford County, a sunset stroll at Warner Park or an Almost Spring Wildflower Hike at the Creekside Trailhead. There’s also a special guest coming to Nashville Public Library in honor of Black History Month. And if your family is in need, pre-register for a Community

Baby Shower over on Nolensville Road at Plaza Mariachi.

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:

FAMILY SUNSET STROLL

Families with little ones above 6 years old can register now to go on a Family Sunset Stroll on Feb. 23 at Warner Park. At sunset, a guide will hike with folks to look and listen for wildlife activity and other day-to-night happenings in the area. It’s a lovely time of the year to watch the sun go down, and here’s a way to get moving while it’s happening.

FREE FAMILY FILM

Over in Rutherford County on Feb. 24, the Linebaugh Public Library is hosting a free PG or G rated film. The series, Friday Family Films, follows storytime travels around the world. The film begins at 3 p.m., and all ages are welcome.

STORY TIME FRIENDS: FEATURING ELLIOTT ROBINSON

On Feb. 24, guest speaker Elliott Robinson will speak at the Nashville Public

Library. Elliott runs engagements in the Main Library’s Civil Rights Room, sharing Nashville’s history with “school children, university and graduate students, corporate employees, church members and leadership, community organizations and tourists,” according to the library. His series Triumph Tales was launched during the pandemic as a way to stay engaged with the community.

ALMOST SPRING WILDFLOWER HIKE

On Feb. 25 at Beaman Park Nature Center, bring the family out to look for wildflowers at the Almost Spring Wildflower Hike. As the center says “it’s not too early to start looking for ephemeral wildflowers.” The hike begins at the Creekside Trailhead, where a guide will host the group to search for signs of wintergreen, toothwort, bloodroot, hepatica and more.

COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER

The Hispanic Family Foundation is slated to host a Community Baby Shower on Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon. Families in need should pre-register to attend the event, where there will be items to help families bring home newborn babies.

COURTESY OF EMILY DORIO/HALL STRATEGIES

CHOICE LANES

Another useless idea from the office of Governor Drippy Faucet and his parrots. There are already choice lanes in place, just under another name. They are called the HOV lanes. These lanes are underutilized already. Very few commuters have two or more occupants in the car, and singleoccupant cars are using them since the chance of law enforcement catching them is slim to none. Just another hair-brain scheme to spend money and set up for another failed idea.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Will the representatives of our State ever come up with that would be beneficial to the citizens they represent instead of some of the realm of normalcy. Eight of the illustrious reps have just sponsored a bill to end the fees for carry permits. That’s it, boys, why don’t you just give out coupons for everyone to head out to Bass Pro store for a free gun. Where is Wyatt Earp when you need him. It’s going to get to that very quickly. We already have daily shootings here. Governor Drippy Faucet initiated the problem by declaring Tennessee an open carry state aimed for the “law abiding citizens”. Well, Governor DF, it ain’t working, and your puppets representing our State are following in your crooked path.

When will it end and these reps get their heads out of their rear-facing sides. So many more meaningful things they could spend their time on.

STILL CELEBRATING THE SLAVE TIMES?

I am ticked off that there are still Confederate flags, many of them, flying

proudly off of Hwy. 65 near all of us and those visiting Nashville.

They exist in the location where the goofy statue once stood glorifying the slave master high on his horse celebrating those sordid times that apparently some still think were the good ‘ole days.

DOCUMENTS

All this hullabaloo about documents disappearing from the White House and showing up at the President’s and Vice Presidents’ homes and offices could be eliminated if the National Archives, which is supposed to be keeping these documents would keep a library card system so there would be a record of who has the paperwork and when it was withdrawn and returned. Or how about if the National Archives people just tell the POTUS or VPOTUS that they have an office in the White House or the Capitol building and that is where the documents will remain.

POOR QUALITY CONTROL

It really ticks me off when our fine city has road repair work done by private contractors or by TDOT themselves and there is no one to follow up and inspect the job for quality of work performed. Late last year (some contractor or TDOT) did some patching on Priest Lake Drive. They did four patches, why I don’t know it seems that other areas needed patch work more that this area of Priest Lake Drive. Anyway they did a lousy job. Drive your car over these repair jobs and expect to get jostled around. I did complain to hub.nashville.gov and got a response that my complaint was registered. Big deal, get the people who did the job to come back and level out the patches.

Granted, they are not critical but that sort of shoddy work is unacceptable. NOTE to contractors..... It takes a lot less time to do the job right than it takes to do it over.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MENDES

Finally, we have a Councilmember who is willing to stand up against big money, and stand with the people of Nashville. Councilman Bob Mendes has shown his courage and integrity by opposing the new stadium for the Titans. For too long the Metro Council has supported projects for those who have large bank accounts without regard to what the people of Nashville desire. A good example is the 400 unit apartment complex proposed for Bellevue where the District Councilman is supporting despite the people saying NO. Councilman Mendes we appreciate your support of the ordinary citizens of Nashville. If Amy Adam Shunk want a new stadium let her, and her billionaire friends pay for its full cost rather than using our, the taxpayers’ money. Lets hope that your fellow Councilmembers be as courageous as you are and oppose this taxpayers’ ripe off the Lets Make A Deal Phil stared. We, the citizens of Nashville do not want the Titans, nor any other team here at our expense, Period. Thank you Councilman Mendes.

FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER

Empty words tick me off.

There will be in the news in the next few days and weeks concerning many accolades on the life of former President Jimmy Carter from politicians, past presidents and VPs. And so it should be. He was one honest man that held the most prestigious and powerful

Send your comments to tickedoff@thenewstn.com

job in the world. Not only was honesty a trait but he was an intelligent, humble, Christian man that talked the talk and walked the walk of his beliefs. After he served the nation he went back to Plains, Georgia where he grew up. He and his wife were advocates of many charitable organizations including Houses for Humanity.

Our country needs women and men that serve in public offices to emulate the life of former President Carter. It seems in recent history we have politicians that leave public office, or continue in their elected positions, as very wealthy people. They leave not to go back to ordinary life but to live in luxury purchasing estates in places where only the “rich and famous” gather. They are the antithesis of a life that led the former President Carter. They should honor him not by empty words of praise but of leading by the example of his extraordinary public service.

ANOTHER SANTOS

Well, well, well. Here we go again with another Tennessee embarrassment in Washington. When are Republicans going to get it that you can’t vote for the party without facing the consequences of the results. Your rep Andy Ogles has lied about his education and other facts of his life. Did the party not check his resume before allowing him to run for an office? Perhaps a lie detector test before filing to run for office could help cull the rejects.

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

Belmont names VP of diversity, equity and inclusion

STAFF REPORTS

Belmont University Monday announced that Dr. D’Angelo Taylor has been named vice president of the university Office of Hope, Unity and Belonging.

According to a release, Taylor will lead the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and begin his tenure on May 1. The position is new to Belmont.

The HUB will be responsible for managing all efforts related to Title IX compliance and prevention, as well as all non-discrimination and equity work (Titles VI, VII and IX) including prevention, protection and accountability.

Taylor currently serves as vice president

for student affairs at Central State University, Ohio’s only public HBCU (historically black colleges and universities). He oversees CSU’s student affairs division and supervises career services, enrollment management and admissions, health and psychological services, housing and dining.

Previously, Taylor served as the associate director of the University of Southern Indiana Multicultural Center in Evansville. He also served as director of USI’s Collegiate Men of Distinction Mentoring Program, which focuses on retention and graduation rates among Black males.

In addition, Taylor has served as board

vice chairman of the John M. Caldwell Community Development Corp. and as a member of the Board of Brothers Out Saving Souls Inc., an Evansville nonprofit.

“[Dr. Taylor is] an accomplished leader in higher education, diversity and inclusion … and I am confident he will make an immeasurable impact on our efforts to creating spaces that promote belonging, creativity, innovation and flourishing,” Belmont President Greg Jones said in the release.

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF BELMONT UNIVERSITY Dr. D’Angelo Taylor

Cauliflower Fried “Rice” with Shrimp

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

This recipe was featured in our Jan/Feb 2018 Home Cook column. It’s from the kitchen of Nashvillian Carey McDonald, who claims it as one of her “white carb hacks.” Cauliflower, which rose to fame as

a lower carb and calorie alternative to bread is a great ingredient in this dish, soaking up the Asian flavors and making a nice palate for everything from chicken to shrimp to tofu. And it makes a great side to anything.

ACROSS

1 Recede

4 Submit, as homework

10 “Yeah ... I don’t think so”

14 Gymnast Suni of Team U.S.A.

15 Plaza resident of fiction

16 What some flakes are made of

17 59-Across from someone who’s paying?

19 Thus

20 Feature of Jupiter’s moon Europa

21 Apple field wor ker?

23 Acronymic title for a legendar y athlete

26 23-Across, in boxing

27 Purchase

30 59-Across from an anxious caller?

33 Sound of intrigue

34 Thoroughly enjoy

INGREDIENTS

1 head garlic

2 10-ounce bags frozen riced cauliflower

2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided salt

5 large green onions, chopped, whites and greens separated

1/2 lime, juiced, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, divided

1. First, roast the garlic. Trim off the top of entire bulb of garlic, leave in natural “paper”. Place garlic in aluminum foil pouch, leaving top open. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper, twist top and close foil. Place in a 400F oven 40-50 minutes. Set aside. (This can be done the day before.) Once cool, smash and mince each clove.

2. Follow cooking instructions on package for cauliflower rice. Once cooked, place in double mesh fine strainer and press with spatula until you cannot squeeze out any more moisture.

3. In medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sesame oil, salt, half of green onion, lime juice, ½ tablespoon ginger, about 2 cloves minced roasted garlic, and ½ tsp or more sambal (if you like it hot). Add shrimp and let marinate 1 hour.

4. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat re-

sambal (optional)

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 medium carrots, diced

1 5-ounce package Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 eggs, scrambled hot Chinese mustard or sriracha (optional)

maining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and add carrots. Sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining green and white onion, about 8 cloves minced roasted garlic, and mushrooms. Season with salt and lime. Adjust heat as needed.

5. Add cauliflower rice, peas, and soy sauce. (Remember the rice is cooked, you’re just heating it and getting a fried crust.) Once fried, push rice mixture to sides and drop in scrambled eggs. Cook thoroughly, breaking into bite size pieces, stirring cooked eggs gently into rice mixture. Taste and add soy and sriracha or mustard as desired. Cover to keep warm.

6. Heat nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until opaque. Toss shrimp with rice mixture. Top with more onions and sriracha sauce, if desired.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Edible Nashville. For more recipes and all things local food, follow Edible Nashville on instagram @ediblenashtn and their website ediblenashville.com. And look for their beautiful magazine around town. To subscribe to the magazine that comes out 6x/year, go to ediblenashville.com.

35 59-Across from a fr ustrated parent?

41 “I’m ___ of you” (Valentine’s Day message for a plant lover?)

42 Mole that should definitely be removed?

43 59-Across from a carpooler?

50 Record label for H.E.R. and SZA

51 Letters of amusement

52 Erstwhile

54 Tons o’

56 Singing rodent of car toondom

57 Bridges in film

59 “Come here often?,” e.g. … or a hint to 17-, 30-, 35- and 43-Across

63 “Frozen” snowman

64 It might include a plus one

65 Feminist assn. since 1966

66 Storage containers

67 Like matr yoshka dolls

68 Speech fillers

DOWN

1 Poet who wrote “April is the cruellest month”

2 “You ___!” (informal affirmative)

3 Appear in public

4 “Whoa, take it easy!”

5 Prefix with rock or countr y

6 Neither’s partner

7 Game piece with multiple faces

8 Name meaning “God is salvation”

9 Annoy

10 Cab alternative

11 1983 hit song that begins with “Domo arigato”

12 Prod, and then some

13 Famous bed-in participant

18 They have issues, in brief

22 Cer tain itinerant musician

24 “___ Flux” (1990s animated sci-fi series)

25 Setting for the “Iliad”

28 “E pluribus ___”

29 Informal affirmative

31 Ones being pointed to at a distance

32 Good, in Chinese

35 Cer tain slip-on shoe

36 Die-hard follower

37 Ambient musician

Brian

38 Grown-up

39 Topknot, for one

40 Reynolds of “Deadpool”

41 N.Y.C. drive, with “the”

44 Straight-up

45 F ive-time Olympic sprinting gold medalist ___ Thompson-Herah

46 Harvested

47 “___ be OK”

48 Heavenly

49 Key of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5

53 Celeb gossip show

55 Exterminates

57 Word with snow or day

58 QB Manning

60 Dr ugstore chain known for long receipts

61 Baby fox

62 Great Basin tribe

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

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

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

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/ studentcrosswords.

EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ NO. 0118

PUZZLE BY LINDSAY MCBRIDE

FLOORING HARDWOOD FLOORS

• CLEANED • WAXED • BUFFED • SANDED

WOODMONT BAPTIST CHURCH

Sunday 9:15am Children/Youth classes 9:15am Sunday life groups 10:30am Sun. morning worship 12noon Swahili worship service Wednesday nights 6:30pm

INVITATION TO BID

The City of Forest Hills will accept sealed bids for PW 2023-01 CCTV Close System Inspection. This Invitation to Bid is subject to the instructions, conditions, specifications, addenda, and other elements, including those incorporated by reference.

ISSUE DATE: February 23, 2023

BID TITLE: PW 2023-01 CCTV Close System Inspection

CONTACT: Brad Bivens, City Engineer of the City of Forest Hills

TELEPHONE: (615)383-8420

E-MAIL ADDRESS: brad.bivens@neel-schaffer.com

BID OPENING: LOCATION: T , March 9, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. CST City of Forest Hills City Hall 6300 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215

Copies of this solicitation may be obtained from the City of Forest Hills Vendor Registry. You may register your business, and obtain the solicitation at the link below:

https://vrapp.vendorregistry.com/Bids/View/BidsList?BuyerId=bb43feeb-0407-4794-836c-a1aa4278eac4

Bids must be received by the City of Forest Hills Office on or before T , March 9, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. CST (Bids received after that time will not be considered), at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

SUBMIT BID via electronic submission using the City of Forest Hills Vendor Registry link. Vendor Registry Link:

https://vrapp.vendorregistry.com/Bids/View/BidsList?BuyerId=bb43feeb-0407-4794-836c-a1aa4278eac4

All bids must be made on the forms included in this solicitation. All bids must be signed. Unsigned bid forms or bid proposals will not be considered. The City will not accept faxed, mailed, hand delivered, or emailed.

Antiques and Garden Show Preview Party

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

The Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville Preview Party was held at the Music City Center; the event was an an opening night gala, where patrons could shop early at one of the largest antiques and horticultural events in the country.

The theme for the 2023 show was “Home is the Tapestry of your Life,” and a showcase of antiques from more than 150 dealers and three beautiful landscaped gardens were featured.

Co-chaired by Kathryn Saunders and Beth Kost, the show draws more than 16,000 attendees annually and offers opportunities to engage with some of the nation’s top names in design and horticulture through educational lectures, panel discussions and book signings.

The three floral showcases featured everything from spring flowers to driftwood, to a topiary peacock and a bright orange and white pagoda.

The Entry Garden was presented by Cheekwood, the East Garden was by Josiah Lockhart & Associates, and the Duke Design Group created the West Garden.

Music City Center catered the party and served caprese skewers, stuffed peppadew peppers, tempura crusted shrimp, bacon wrapped brisket with problanos and peaches, coconut chicken, mac and cheese bites, and more.

Preview Party chairs included: Lisa and Al Blakley, Allie and Mac Barry, Sacha and Charles Robert Bone, Jennifer and Mercer Border, Daphne and Rawls Butler, Christine and Jeff Weller, Mary Carlisle and Ben Gambill, Katie and Alex Hardy, Corinne and Brock Kidd, Jodie and Hal Lawton, and

Amy and Clay Richards.

The Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville is an annual charitable event held to raise funds for Cheekwood and the Economic Club of Nashville (ECON) Charities.

Cheekwood, a historic estate that serves as a public botanical garden, arboretum and art museum, is one of Nashville’s best hidden gems. It has world-class art exhibitions, breathtaking gardens and public educational programs for all ages.

ECON Charities is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families by dedicating funds to charitable organizations in the Greater Nashville area. The event has raised more than nine million dollars for its beneficiaries since its inception in 1990. To learn more, visit www. AntiquesandGardenShow.com.

Jeff Stephenson and Ben Cochrane

Brooke and Josh Trusley

Elle Becker, and Jennifer and Charles Gay

Scott and Lynn Kendrick, and Larry and Dee Dee Bryan

Louise and Donald McKenzie, and Mary Brockman

Bo and Sarah Bartholomew, and Lori and Mark Fink

Paul Burns, Susie Bechtel, and Kyle Irwin

Connie and Gale Higgs

Houston and Casey Sanford Dell and Carroll Crosslin, Jo Ann Catignani, and Will T. Cheek

Buddy Best, Lynne and Ron Samuels, Ashley Smith, and John Dinkins

Chris Spitzmiller, Nancy Kimball, and Anthony Bellomo

Ann Tatum, Mike and Kathryn Saunders, and Gavin Duke

Leslie Rolfe, Julia Anne Masters, and Bradley Worthington

Troy Holman, Savannah Anderson, and Gordon Thompson

Gordon Jewish Community Center’s Big Night Out

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

The Gordon Jewish Community Center presented its annual fundraising event, Big Night Out, which included a Broadway Tribute Concert to recognize legendary Jewish Broadway composers and their mentees.

A star-studded cast of Broadway’s best performed selections from legendary works, which included “Hamilton,” “In the Heights,” “Waitress,” “Spring Awakening,” “Oklahoma!,” “Cinderella,” “Carousel,” “West Side Story,” and “Into the Woods.”

Performers included Brandon Contreras, Morgan Karr, Anthony Lee Medina, and Alisa Melendez.

The evening began with a silent auction and cocktail hour, and included a wonderful dinner.

The cocktail hour featured a Nosh Table prepared by Take Away and Cater615 which was filled with hummus, dips, spreads, an olive bar, marinated vegetables, various breads, smoked salmon, bruschetta, and more.

Dinner began with a micro green salad and grilled vegetables. Entrees were grilled ribeyes, baked salmon, and a vegan dish, Moroccan vegetable and chickpea succotash and roasted spaghetti squash.

Side dishes included broccolini, Persian jeweled rice, and basmati rice with dried fruit, green onions, almonds, pistachios, and basil oil.

The delicious dessert was lemon olive oil cake, drizzled with raspberry puree.

Among the numerous auction items were: one week boarding and training for your dog at The Farm at Natchez Trace; an Electronic Express LG 65” TV; services from The Blowout Co.; tickets to the Nashville Shakespeare Festival; East Nashville Beer Fest tickets; Frist Art Museum tickets; a

package for climbing and axe throwing at the Nashville Adventure Park; dinner and wine for eight at Midtown Cafe; a two-night stay at the Moxy Vanderbilt; tickets to Wined Up! at City Winery; and a suit, shirt, and tie from Dillards.

GJCC supporters include: Joel Abramson, Greg Averbuch, Beth Easter, Scott Ghertner, Jessica Ginsberg, Leslie Kirby, Stephanie Kirschner, Matt Leff, Rose Lundberg, April Nemer, Bernard Pargh, Alan Perlman, Suzy Perlman, Aura Rosenblatt, Laura Shmerling, Caroline Sprouse, Kelly Unger, Greg Zagnoev, and Jackie Zigelsky.

The Gordon Jewish Community Center provides programs and services based on Jewish values and steeped in Jewish traditions. Members from all areas of Nashville and its surrounding communities come together at the facility to connect, exchange ideas, build community and grow together.

Paula and Lloyd Tannenbaum Howard Pink and Robbie Lasky

Hellen Hanai, and Moti and Abe Yazdian

Harriet Shirley, Sharon Benus, Amelia Morrison, and Andrew Fishman

Missy, Morris, and Tom Horesh

Miles Aubrey, Brad Williamson, and Randy Craft

Mike and Beth Esch

Rachel Clark and Diamond Battle

Michael and Jody Dobrin

Stephanie Brady, Anita Howards, and Leslie Sax

Inessa and Quenton Brooks

Tommy Ducklo and Howard Kirshner

Max Odell, Julie Nidiffer, and Mari-Lynn Wilson

Leslie Kirshner and Beth Ducklo

Sam Sharmat, and Sara and Ramin Hanai

John and Barbara Dab, and Sherri and Jim Holzer

La Bella Notte

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

Friends of Nashville Opera’s 29th annual black-tie gala looked toward spring with the theme La Primavera, which translates to spring in Italian.

Sharon and Todd Sandahl chaired the wonderful event, which was held in the Grand Hyatt Nashville’s Summit Ballroom.

Everyone enjoyed an evening of fine dining and song in support of Nashville Opera’s education and engagement programs.

The presentation of the Francis Robinson and Marion Couch Award was made to Linda and Jim Marler, in recognition of their years of tireless work in support of the Friends of Nashville Opera.

The floral arrangements were fabulous and, as Sharon Sandahl is an incredible florist (as well as a pharmacist!), she oversaw the committee, made up of Jason Bradshaw, Bob Deal and Lea Margaret Hamilton, who decorated the ballroom.

Pink roses and blue and white hydrangeas dominated the stunning displays, along with greenery and other blooms, which encircled the entire stage. For centerpieces, the same elements were used, with the addition of sprays of white orchids.

The meal began with a winter greens salad accompanied by blue cheese, pickled peppers, pumpkin seeds and maple vinaigrette. Following the salad, works were performed by Puccini, Bizet and Donizetti.

Act Two featured a beef filet with sweet potato puree and works by Donizetti, Bernstein, and Loyd Weber.

Dessert was a sachertorte and caramelized white chocolate mousse duo, with chocolate ganache and raspberry coulis. The finale was a sing along of “Bella Notte.”

Performers included Rainelle Krause, John Reisen, Stephen Carey, Alysha Nesbitt, Naomi Brigell, Gregory Sliskovich, and

Brandan Sanchez.

The live auction offered fabulous trips to Iceland, Alaska, Austria, Croatia, Paris, Rome and more.

An online auction had numerous interesting items up for bid, including a private wine experience courtesy of Lessons from the Vine, a $50 Gift Certificate for This is the Finale, tickets to the Andrea Bocelli concert, “Essence of Wisdom” by Alexa Lipman, a walk-on role in the opera’s opening production of the 2023-24 season, a Jackalope Brewery tour for four, and stays at a three bedroom house in Port St Lucie, FL, a two bedroom condo in Hilton Head, SC, a suite at The Westin Nashville, and deluxe accommodations at The Hermitage Hotel. Committee members included: Friends of Nashville Opera President Tracey Pearson, Anne Whetsell, Milton White, Lee Carroll, Claudia McCauley, Meera Ballal, Allison Cotton, Emily Humphreys, Mary Morgan Ketchel, and Rachel Robinson.

Jamal and Alysha Nesbitt, and Jerry Graham

Heather and Vincent Davis

Stephen Carey, and Margaret and Tim Thomson

Charles Sandahl, Co-chairs Todd and Sharon Sandahl, and Frances Sandahl

McKenzie Mullins, Jill Fairchild, Sunitha Thomas, and Jon Miller

Brandon Sanchez, Hannah Marcoe, Naomi Brigell, and Gregory Sliskovich

Julie and John Schneider

Miquela Hiller and Aatithya Jaswal

Russell Swanson, Rachel Zamata Swanson, Rachel Robertson, and Steve Mitchell

Michelle Gaffney and Shawn McCormick

Teresa White, Kurt Tarter, and Nancy Russell

Milton White, Laura Amond, Will Shutes, and Corrie Maxwell

Jeannie Ringo, Rob Taylor, and Edmond and Lauren Jackson

Ryan and Tracey Pearson, and Ramsey and Chris Raybeck

Kim Hewell, Norm Scarborough, and Molly and Richard Schneider

Mark Patterson, Susan Holt, and Veera Asher

CARE GIvER

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HELP WANTED

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