Vouchers, immigration and disaster relief pass
A lot happened in just four days as the 114th General Assembly convened for a special session called by Gov. Bill Lee: The legislature sent seven pieces of legislation through committees and brought them to a vote on the floor.
By the end of the week, Lee and his fellow Republican leaders in the House and Senate celebrated a win for their agendas on education and immigration enforcement, while also toutingsuccess for passing much-needed relief for disasterstricken East Tennessee.
IMMIGRATION
In a press conference after the special
session, Lee echoed a talking point of Republicans nationwide that the election of President Donald Trump was “a mandate to secure the border.”
He added that with this legislation in Tennessee, the state will be able to “assist the president in his further agenda for public safety.”
The bill creates the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division within the Department of Safety to be led by a chief immigration enforcement officer who will be appointed by the governor. That person, along with the state’s commissioner of safety (Jeff Long, former Williamson County sheriff), is tasked by the bill to work
on an agreement for enforcement of federal immigration law with the U.S. attorney general. The new department will cost the state $563,651 to create. That amount includes salaries and benefits for the chief officer (who receives the largest amount at $231,401) and three other staff members.
The bill also creates a class-E felony for local officials who vote to adopt a sanctuary city policy.
The state attorney general can issue an order to comply with the law, and if a local official does not, the AG can remove that official from office. That part of the bill has already received backlash from the ACLU of Tennessee, which issued a press release
calling the legislation unconstitutional and noting plans to challenge the law in court. “This is a gross escalation, criminalizing votes and speeches that members of a legislative body make on the floor,” Metro Nashville’s legal director Wally Dietz told reporters last week. “This is a very dangerous step they have taken. We cautioned against it. Their own lawyers cautioned them against it. It is a dramatic escalation.”
“Nobody up here wants to be overly alarmist,” Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) said of the bill.
“But when you see people who have power decide that the rules don’t apply, decide that the laws don’t apply,
Anti-voucher protesters outside of Cordell Hull
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Gov. Bill Lee and Republican state leadership on the final day of special session
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
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Tennessee education shows steady but unequal progress
State improving quickly compared to national averages as top-performing students separate from their lowestperforming peers
Tennessee schools’ post-COVID improvements in math and reading have outpaced most other states since 2022, according to the National Assessment for Educational Progress. Released last week, the sweeping federal survey — often referred to as the “nation’s report card” — also shows a widening testing gap between students in the 90th and 10th percentiles that has increased gradually since 2009. Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and Colorado sit at or near the top of NAEP rankings across grade levels and subjects.
While trend lines are positive, Tennessee students continue to perform at or below national standards overall. In 2024, less than a third of Tennessee fourth- and eighthgraders demonstrated proficiency in math and reading. Between 25 and 40 percent of Tennessee students tested below a basic level of competence for math and reading, significantly underperforming the national baseline. National testing still sits below 2019 scores.
“For the last five years, we as a state have focused time, attention and energy prioritizing student-focused policies, research-backed interventions, that are supporting student learning and the recovery of some of the impacts that we saw in the 2022 NAEP results,” David Mansouri, CEO of the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, explained in a webinar after the 2024 NAEP results were released. “This year, with the 2024 NAEP results, for the first time Tennessee now scores above the national average in fourth- and eighth-grade [English learning] and math. We just think this is a remarkable story of a focus, investment, prioritization of education, and of recovery.”
Mansouri also highlighted significant gains by Black students in Tennessee, who still trail white students’ testing performance by double digits. English learners also showed substantial progress from 2022 testing in elementary and middle school math and English.
The federal Department of Education publishes NAEP every other year based on testing data in math and reading in fourth, eighth and 12th grades. Only data from fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading was released on Jan. 29. Tennessee’s highlights include improvements from 2022, specifically among elementary and middle school students, that place the state in the nation’s top 10 for growth. Black students and English learners have made notable strides since 2022. The biennial report paints a bleak picture of rural education, where reading and math scores for fourth- and eighth-graders are stagnant or declining.
Charter schools and Gov. Bill Lee’s push for school vouchers, which put state dollars toward private school tuition, have significantly altered Tennessee’s public education environment in recent years. School vouchers will be available to 20,000 students next year after state lawmakers passed a $447 million education package last week in a special legislative session convened by Lee. Now entering the penultimate year of his second term, the governor had previously failed to expand school vouchers due to protests from lawmakers within his own party.
This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Scene.
Goodlettsville Elementary School PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO
ELI MOTYCKA
Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition open
city is whether there are young beginning artists willing to pour hours into their craft — if they’re chasing a dream or just having some fun.
Nashville’s got talented young visual artists in spades, and you can catch some of the very best at this year’s Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition showcases 188 drawings, computer graphics, sculptures, photos and other works, all created by sixth- to 12thgrade artists in Middle Tennessee schools and deemed prize-worthy by a panel of judges.
Belmont University will offer scholarships to the high school “Best Of” winners in several categories, meaning they’ll get a jump-start
whether that’s in the arts or otherwise. Arts
Jan. 23 awards reception and ceremony, and
This article was first published via our sister
MNPS PHOTO: VON REISCH PHOTOGRAPHY
Vouchers
that’s a dangerous place, and that’s where we are. ”
Originally the legislation carried a price tag of more than $20 million, but it was adjusted to around $5 million after the administration decided to lower the amount in grant funding it would offer to local governments who enter agreements with the federal government. The fiscal note acknowledges that local entities may have to spend more if the funds are not sufficient to meet requirements based on an agreement with the federal government.
Gov. Lee told The News sister publication the Williamson Scene further funding in the regular session is possible. “We wanted to put the vehicle in place so that we could coordinate with the federal government,” he said. “That was step one, and there’ll be further steps going forward as we understand what’s needed to cooperate.”
EDUCATION
The bill that garnered the most attention
all week was Lee’s push to fund school vouchers for families who choose to send their students to private schools. The governor attempted to pass the legislation last year, but the party was not able to get on the same page by the end of the session. Republicans have taken issue with the word “voucher,” and in committee meetings asked Democrats more than once not to use the word, calling it “political language.” They say there is no voucher language in the bill, and opt instead for the word “scholarship.”
The definition of voucher is clear, however.
From Merriam-Webster: “a coupon issued by government to a parent or guardian to be used to fund a child’s education in either a public or private school.”
The Education Freedom Act created 20,000 scholarships for students that are worth around $7,000 apiece for private school tuition and other educational expenses. Recipients will have specific scholarship accounts where the funds are deposited. The bill also creates a $2,000
bonus for teachers and puts 80 percent of the collected sports betting tax ($62.7 million this year) toward school infrastructure spending. Many legislators took issue with that use of money,as it is currently used in funding for HOPE scholarships. A provision added an amendment ensuring that if there is a deficit in HOPE funds, the sports betting tax money will first be applied there before being used for infrastructure purposes. Ultimately, the bill was still a close vote for Republicans in both the House (54-44-4) and Senate (20-13).
Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) called the bill one of the biggest scams in Tennessee history.
“[Republicans] had a large amount of people who oppose vouchers,” Clemmons said. “I applaud[Republicans who voted against the legislation] for having the courage to stand up and do what’s right, and buck their party, buck their leadership, and buck this governor who’s pushing a scam on the Tennessee people. I applaud them for that and I acknowledge that courage.”
DISASTER RELIEF
Three bills offering relief for East Tennessee following Hurricane Helene passed quickly, but they aren’t enough to cover the cost of the disaster according to an estimate Lee gave at a press conference after the session.
“We now know that the cost of this disaster exceeds $1.2 billion, far more than any previous disaster in our state,” Lee said. “Many of these counties that were affected are rural. They are at-risk and distressed, and frankly, the counties cannot shoulder the burden of the cost of this disaster alone, and they shouldn’t have to, and now they won’t have to.”
One of the bills removes governmental red tape so that local governments can request help from the Tennessee Emergency
Management Agency more quickly. Another bill creates two funds: one to help local governments affected by the hurricane pay interest back on money borrowed to cover disaster relief costs, and another that creates a pot of money for more general disaster recovery costs. The third bill creates a fund for those who had their property destroyed to receive funding that covers their property tax plus 30 percent.
Clemmons said Democrats came into the special session with the priority of getting “overdue flood relief” to those in East Tennessee.“We didn’t even pass enough relief, to be honest with you,” Clemmons said. “It took us four months to get up here and do anything, because the governor was pushing this voucher scam and trying to work votes on a voucher scam.”
Democrats have accused Republican leadership of tying the education bill to the disaster relief funds through this special session — a notion that Republicans have pushed back against by saying all the legislation is still separate and one has nothing to do with another. The bills’ appropriations were ultimately passed all in one funding bill. While that’s not an unusual practicefor passing funds, Democrats did make an attempt to separate the funding bills so that those who wanted to vote for disaster relief did not have to make the concession of voting to also fund the education and immigration bills.
“We can pass any number of appropriations bills to fund any sort of thing,” Clemmons said.
“You know, they like to say a lot of things. ‘Oh, well, we’ve never done that,’ or, ‘Well this is how it’s traditionally done.’ Guess what. They run this place. They can do whatever they want within the rules, and that’s within the rules. So, you know, I call BS.”
Rep. Tim Hicks (R-Gray) stands alongside other East Tennessee legislators during the Jan. 29 House session PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) speaks alongside Democratic leaders in the Cordell Hull State Office Building PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
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Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1
As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. If you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.
Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to avoid large dental bills is preventive care. Experts recommend checkups twice a year.
Previous dental work can wear out.
Your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2
Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.
Unexpected bills, like $190 for a filling, or $1,213 for a crown3 can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.
comparing plans ...
Look for coverage that helps pay for major services.
Look for coverage with no deductibles.
Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits.
Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.
Rivergate Mall site eyed for mixed-use project
Cincinnati-based Merus targets fall start on development to include residential, retail, restaurants
WILLIAM WILLIAMS
A large-scale mixed-use project is being eyed for a portion of the Rivergate Mall site in North Davidson County, with a fall construction start planned.
Cincinnati-based real estate company Merus (formerly known as Al. Neyer) seeks to undertake the development on 15.22 acres with a main address of 1000 Rivergate Parkway.
(land-planning) and Fulmer Lucas (civil engineering) to work on the project. Both are locally based.
The development team will go before the Metro Planning Commission on March 13 to seek a rezoning.
Three entities (KDI Rivergate Mall LLC, J.C. Penney Co. Inc., and Dillard TN Operating Ltd. Partnership) own the properties, which sit within Metro Coucilmember Jennifer Webb’s District 10. It is unclear if Merus will acquire the properties or undertake a ground lease.
The development is proposed to include retail and restaurants, townhomes, marketrate apartment housing, independent senior living residential, transit-oriented features and a community green space. Parking options will include surface lots and onstreet/off-street parking.
The document notes the future development could offer up to 458 residential units.
A 2029 date completion is targeted.
The proposed name and estimated cost to undertake the development are unclear. Merus officials could not be reached for comment.
Merus has enlisted Smith Gee Studio
Some of the existing mall (the original iteration of which opened in 1971) will need to be razed to accommodate the development.
Merus is finishing construction of Aspire, an apartment tower located in Midtown. In addition, the company has both developed and acquired real estate in the general Nashville area and offers an office in SoBro. This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Post.
LA STRONG A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE
As wild fires ravage large swaths of LA, Belmont Village Senior Living sends thoughts and prayers to everyone impacted by this tragedy. Our hearts go out to anyone who has endured the loss of a home, of treasured belongings, of a livelihood and, most of all, the loss of life.
We are deeply inspired by local first responders whose courage and commitment exemplifies the best of humanity. Also by the countless men and women from other cities, states and even other countries who rushed into our City to join front lines.
At Belmont Village Senior Living we continue to work tirelessly to keep our residents and our associates safe and to help protect the well-being of all seniors. We are especially grateful to community partners—hoteliers, transportation companies, and many more who have helped effectuate seamless evacuations when called upon. We cannot express enough gratitude to our own team members for their grit, intelligence and determination to keep our seniors safe.
We will endure as a City, and emerge from this ordeal resilient and proud. In challenging times, community matters more than ever.
Patricia Will
Founder and CEO
Belmont Village Senior Living
Help us support LA seniors | belmontvillage.com/SupportLA
Five free and cheap family things to do in Middle Tennessee
AMANDA HAGGARD
This week we have an extremely cute lineup in the works: lovebirds, bluebirds, puppies, zoo animals and a little rabbit who wanted red wings. The Nashville Zoo is hosting the Music City Puppy Bowl, so the family can see a lot of terribly cute things in one day. You can get into the zoo for free the two days prior by bringing donations of goods for Second Harvest Food Bank, but the puppies will not be on-site, so plan accordingly. The family can see love birds in Shelby Bottoms or head over to Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary for a lesson on bluebirds. The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings will be on stage at the Nashville Public Library downtown throughout February, and the final event may not include live animals or a stage production, but the Williamson
County Friends of the Library Book Sale could be a great place to pick up a few books on the subject of animals at a great price.
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:
SOUPER BOWL FOOD DRIVE AND MUSIC CITY PUPPY BOWL
On Feb. 7-8, the Nashville Zoo is hosting a Souper Bowl Food Drive where up to two people per household can donate four or more eligible food items for a free admission ticket to the zoo. The event is in partnership with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, and all donations must be in a sealed container and no less than one
month from the expiration date. Needed items include: peanut butter, canned meat (chicken/tuna), canned fruit and vegetables, soups and stews, pasta and cereal. The next day for the price of admission, you can visit the zoo as they team up with Nashville Humane Association for the Music City Puppy Bowl, where adoptable dogs will take the field for a game of ball at the Ajax Turner Amphitheater with a noon kickoff.
‘THE LITTLE RABBIT WHO WANTED RED WINGS’
On Fridays and Saturdays from Feb. 7-22, the Nashville Public Library downtown will host two shows a day of Wishing Chair Production’s The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Wings. The show is an original Tom Tichenor marionette play and has been remastered to feature beloved Tichenor puppets. Tichenor’s voice is part of the production along with a full cast that helps Little Rabbit learn a lesson. The shows are free and for all ages.
LOVE BIRDS AT SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE CENTER
Shelby Bottoms Nature Center invites folks to share enthusiasm for backyard birds, chocolate and crafting. Devon Blackburn (Lillie Birds Wildlife) will discuss backyard birding with a focus on bird partnerships in honor of Valentine’s Day as well as the Great Backyard Bird Count that happens the week following. Ages 6 and up are appropriate for the event, and the group will be making take-home bird feeders; there’ll be hot chocolate as well. Register ahead of time to ensure a slot.
Lipscomb lands $1M gift for scholarships
A $1 million gift awarded to Lipscomb University is set to fund four-year scholarships for students.
According to a press release, The Slawek Family Opportunity Scholarship Fund will be made possible via a gift from Joe and Mary Slawek, co-founders of FONA International (a subsidiary of McCormick Flavor Solutions). The fund will go toward tuition targeting first-generation college students. Recipients of the scholarship can receive additional resources such as academic success
WILD ABOUT BLUEBIRDS
On Feb. 8, Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary is hosting a Wild About Bluebirds event. Attendees will pay $45 per group of two to build their own bluebird nest box as well as attend a guided hike and educational presentation. The two-hour event will highlight the bluebird nest box trail at Owl’s Hill and learn how a research project helped bring the eastern bluebird from a threatened species to a common backyard bird. Nest boxes built at the event will go home with attendees so they can find a spot in their own yard to attract bluebirds.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE
The Williamson County Friends of the Library Book Sale donates all proceeds to the Williamson County Public Library. It’s a great place to bring the kids to learn some budgeting and buying, and the prices on the books are always excellent. Support from the event will go toward the purchase of new materials and services. The sale begins Feb. 7 and goes through Feb. 9, with a preview sale on Thursday night for members of Williamson County Friends of the Library.
LOGAN BUTTS EDITOR
HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS NEWS REPORTER AND PHOTOJOURNALIST
NICOLLE S. PRAINO STAFF REPORTER
LISA BOLD PRODUCTION MANAGER
coaching, mentoring and tutoring.
In 2021, the family donated $1 million to the Lipscomb University College of Business, for which Joe Slawek is a frequent guest speaker
“Joe and Mary Slawek have made a tremendous investment in the lives of students who might otherwise face significant barriers to higher education,” Lipscomb President Candice McQueen said in the release.
“Their generosity reflects their deep commitment to making a Christian education attainable for all who seek it and will have a lasting impact on our community. Their legacy will inspire future generations of students and serve as a testament to the transformative power of Christian education. We are profoundly grateful for their continued partnership in our mission to prepare students for lives of purpose and faith.”
This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Post.
CHELON HASTY SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER
ELIZABETH JONES CORPORATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
TODD PATTON CFO
MIKE SMITH PRESIDENT AND CEO
Lipscomb University
PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND
SPORTS
Father Ryan takes third in state dual wrestling championships
LOGAN BUTTS
The 2025 dual wrestling state championships took place at the Williamson County Ag Center in Franklin on Saturday, and Father Ryan was Davidson County’s lone representative in the competition.
The Irish lost its first-round match with McCallie 42-35 but rebounded with a 47-21 victory over Christian Brothers in the thirdplace competition.
Dauson Flint (144-pound weight class), Ethan Lampert (150), Sawyer Rutherford (190), Luka Lemaota (215), Deantowan Malone (285), Colten Calvin (106), Braxton Eason (120), Brandon Buck (126), Brody Gobbell (132) and Casen Roark (138) earned wins in their respective individual matchups to propel the team to the bronze position.
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TERMS: CASH - ALL PROPERTIES AUCTIONED ARE SOLD “AS IS, WHERE-IS, WITH NO CONTIGENCIES, AND ALL FAULTS AND LIMITATIONS” and without warranty of any kind or nature. Conduct your own due diligence and make ALL financial arrangements PRIOR to sale day. Any and all pictures and documents presented should be used for informational purposes only. All Terms of Sale are non-negotiable and irrevocable. Real Estate: 15% NonRefundable Earnest Money by US certified funds (bank check or certified check), or Wire Transfer with balance due at closing and Completion of Contract by Thursday, February 13th@12:00 Noon.
Father Ryan wrestling PHOTOS: DAVID RUSSELL
Chocolate Malt Cake
BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE
With Valentines Day right around the corner, we figured it was time for chocolate cake. This one uses an abundance of malt powder for a malted milkshake in a cake.
CAKE
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons malted milk powder
1 cup less 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
8 to 10 chocolate-covered malt balls, such as Whoppers
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease two 6-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment paper. Grease the parchment. Dust the pans with cocoa.
2. Combine the malted milk powder, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture and milk a little at a time, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir until just blended.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cakes 30 to 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Place the pans on a wire rack, and let the cakes cool 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, and return them, top side up, to the rack to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE MALT FROSTING AND TOPPING
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup malted milk powder
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
ACROSS
1 Rapscallion
6 Cer tain tankful
9 Kind of game that’s a pitcher’s dream
14 Micronesian island that was the setting for a season of “Sur vivor”
15 Tuna type
16 Airport near the intersection of I-90 and I-294
17 Cove
18 On the ___
19 Christopher who directed “Oppenheimer”
20 Slang y suffix with “most”
21 “OK ... tell me”
24 N.B.A. 1-pointers: Abbr.
25 Exclamation from Homer
26 Hero of “The Matrix”
27 “A work of ___ that isn’t based on feeling isn’t ___ at all”: Cézanne
28 “Look at Me, I’m Sandra ___” (“Grease” song)
65 Like the breeds Shetland and merino
66 TALK LIKE THIS!
67 Like a yenta
68 Props for close-up magicians
69 Arrogant sort DOWN
37 12/31
39 Part of U.C.L.A.: Abbr.
40 Material used to make the object “illustrated” here, in a seasonal song
41 Coral island
50 “Yikes!”
51 Puts to sleep, say
56 Policy nerd
57 “Très ___”
58 Singer Guthrie
59 Chocolate money won or lost in this puzzle’s game
62 ___-tac-toe
8. Place the chocolate malt balls in a ziptop plastic bag. Seal the bag. Crush the malt balls using a meat mallet. If desired, place in a wire mesh sieve to sift out excess malt powder.
9. To prepare the frosting, combine the butter, vanilla, and malted milk powder in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and salt, and beat until smooth. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar and heavy cream, beating until smooth and spreadable.
10. . Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread about one-third of the frosting on top. Sprinkle with the crushed malt balls. Place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
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29 Dickens’s “The Mystery of ___ Drood”
31 Chinese greeting
33 Tool for a pineapple
35 1990s sitcom featuring a bookstore
38 You can count on them
39 Rating for junk bonds
42 Candymaker Wonka
43 Chauvinist or racist
44 In the style of
45 Star t of Caesar’s boast
46 Actress Hatcher
47 Deposit, as an egg
48 Patrick Stewart and Elton John, for two
49 Singer on “Give Peace a Chance”
51 “Golden Gir ls” actress Arthur
52 Sheds, with “off”
56 Stylish tote for an executive
60 Worshiping rows
61 Cousin of a croc
63 The Emerald Isle
64 “___ have to do”
1 Worked for the C.I.A., perhaps
2 Playground retor t
3 Super-trendy
4 West who said “Men are my life, diamonds are my career”
5 Set down on paper
6 Cider unit
7 Starbuck’s higher-up?
8 Ape or monkey
9 In the dar k about something nefarious
10 “Well, lookee there!”
11 Place to see J.F.K.
12 Hopping mad
13 Past, present or future
22 Flower y necklace
23 Multispor t race, in short
30 In a prim and proper way
32 Singer with the #1 albums “As I Am” and “Girl on Fire”
33 What you might call a tipsy friend
34 Last words?
36 Symbols of wisdom
52 Take a turn with the object illustrated by the central black squares in this puzzle (leading to one of the four circled results)
53 Oscar-winning Jared
54 Symbols of wisdom
55 Word processing command
ANSWER TO PUZZLE
Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/ crosswords ($39.95 a year).
Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.
Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/ studentcrosswords.
PUZZLE BY SETH BISEN-HERSH AND JEFF CHEN
Supporters gathered for the Nashville Opera La Bella Notte Patrons Party
JANET KURTZ
PHOTOS: ERIC ENGLAND
Talent was on full display at the La Bella Notte Patrons Party. Friends and supporters of the Nashville Opera arrived at the stunning home of Britton and Norris Nielson for an evening of fun and a chance to enjoy some opera. During the reception, guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres by crowd pleaser Johnny Haffner and visited with cochairs Jennifer Harris, Katie Marchetti and Patrons Party co-chair Anne Whetsell. After the large group of guests had gathered in the living room, John Hoomes, CEO and artistic director of Nashville Opera, thanked everyone for their continued support. Marchetti and Harris also
thanked supporters. Marchetti shared that growing up in a small town, there were no opportunities to go see an opera. She praised the community outreach program Opera on Wheels and noted “this evening is a tribute to everyone in the room who worked to bring opera to the community through Opera on Wheels. After the thank yous, Mary Ragland Emerging Artists Zachary Taylor, Yeonjae Cho, Katherine Kincaid, Keaton Brown and Benjamin Pessognelli took to the front of the room and wowed the guests with their incredible talent.
La Bella Notte will take place Saturday, Feb. 8 at the 1 Hotel.
Co-chair Jennifer Harris, Yeenee Leri, and co-chair Katie Marchetti
Dorothea and Andre Churchwell
Patrick Clark and Esther Wink
Jennifer Zehnder, Keith and Donna Summar
Nicholas McClay, Ann Marie McNamara, Elizabeth Papel, and Maud McClay
Molly Schneider, Sandra Frank, and Britton Nielson
Morel Enoch, Red and Shari Martin
SOCIAL
Reed Bogle and Sandra Frank Lee Pratt and Neil Krugman
Ronald Soltman, Sylvia Rapoport, and Stacy Widelitz
Zachary Taylor, Yeonjae Cho, Katherine Kincaid, Keaton Brown, and Benjamin Pessognelliand
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One bedroom & studio apartments available starting at $625 per month. Must be 62 and older and live independently.
One bedroom apartments available starting at $650 per month. Must 62 older and live independently.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA – COUNTY OF GEORGETOWN – IN THE FAMILY COURT FOR THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT – CASE NO. 2024-DR-22-212 – Allyson Wells Haggard, - Plaintiff, - vs. – Steven Tyler Haggard,Defendant. – SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF FILING OF COMPLAINT – TO THE DEFENDANT ABOVE NAMED -YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and notified that an action has been filed against you in this court. Within thirty (30) days of the day you receive this Summons, you must respond in writing to this Complaint by filing an Answer with this court. You must also serve a copy of your Answer to this Complaint upon the Plaintiff or the Plaintiffʼs Attorney at the address shown below. If you fail to answer the Complaint, judgment by default could be rendered against you for the relief requested in the Complaint. -- NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the original Complaint in the above-entitled action was filed in the office of the Clerk of Court for Georgetown County on July 2, 2024. By Amy K. Raffaldt, Esq. The Law Office of Amy K. Raffaldt, Esq., 1341 44th Avenue North, Suite 205, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, 843.839.2900 Telephone, 843.839.2913 Fax, Amy@raffaldtlawfirm.com.
12:00 Noon, February 28, 2025 Located at Elm Hill Marina 3361 Bell Road Nashville, TN 37214
The following list of boats will be set for auction:
1. 1972 Gibson
TN 7792 ZV
Hull ID: N/A Slip: G-32
2. 1987 Catalina Sailboat OH 0387 YV
Hull ID: N/A Slip: H-60
3. 1985 Catalina Sailboat GA 0552 XD
Hull ID: N/A Slip: H-56
4. 1978 Trojan
TN 6585 DE
Hull ID: TRJ081950378
Slip: G-38
5. 1972 Sailboat TN 8576 DK
Hull ID: N/A Slip: H-127
6. 2017 Sun Tracker
TN 0018 KR
Hull ID: N/A Slip: K-74
7. 2015 Crest
TN 9716 EH
Hull ID: CSM01446D515
Slip: L-79
8. 1989 Donzi
TN 7850 EB
Hull ID: DMRRD496A989
Slip: C-17
9. 1974 Nauta-Line Craft TN 3958 AW
Hull ID: N/A Slip: F-61
10. 1981 Glastron Sailboat TN 3449 AK
Hull ID: CEC23488M79E
Slip: H-61
11. 1972 Sailboat TN 8365 DR
Hull ID: ERY27217M74A Slip: H-119
12. Sailboat TN 9546 BF
Hull ID: HUNB02091783
Slip: J-1
13. 1993 Stardust TN 2512 DF
Hull ID: N/A Slip: J-29
R. FRYE CONCRETE
& t Concrete Driveways - Sidewalks - Patios Landscaping, Mulch and Bobcat Work. Free Estimates Richard’s Cell: 1 (615) 670-2273 (615) 755-3509
sos,
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