July 20, 2023

Belle Meade Plaza site set for project sells for $87M

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

The Belle Meade Plaza shopping center eyed for a high-profile mixed-use development has sold for $87 million.

According to a Davidson County Register of Deeds document, the new owner is an LLC affiliated with Nashville-based Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners.

The seller was an LLC affiliated with Nashville’s May family, which seemingly paid $14.5 million for the property in January 1997, according to Metro records. The property also includes the Kroger structure, with the grocery business to eventually relocate to the former Belle Meade Theater building, the space last occupied by a Harris Teeter.

Relatedly, and according to a separate document, AJ Capital has landed a $45 million loan from Nationwide Life Insurance Company.

Early voting begins for mayor, vice mayor, Metro Council

BY ELI MOTYCKA

Early voting began on Friday, July 14, for Nashville’s municipal elections. An open race for mayor tops the ballot, while Vice Mayor Jim Shulman tries to defend his seat against a challenge from Councilmember Angie Henderson. All 40 seats on the Metro Council are up, including five countywide at-large positions.

Some voters in East and South Nashville will choose their state representative in special elections for Districts 51 and 52, following Republicans’ expulsion of incumbent Democrat Rep. Justin Jones and the June 4 death of Rep. Bill Beck.

In a field of 12 mayoral candidates, polling and fundraising put District 19 Councilmember Freddie O’Connell and former city finance executive Matt Wiltshire in strong positions to make the runoff, while

state Sen. Jeff Yarbro has the most money on hand to spend. No candidate is expected to win outright with more than 50 percent of the vote, setting up a bonus month of campaigning for the race’s top two vote-getters — like Megan Barry and David Fox in 2015, and John Cooper and David Briley in 2019. Wiltshire has already started fundraising for a runoff push, an apparent campaign finance violation reported by the Nashville Banner. The campaign explained it was acting on bad advice from the Davidson County Election Commission and has started returning more than $36,000.

A recent poll by Music City Research, commissioned by a private entity not associated with a campaign, shows 26 percent undecided less than a month before Election Day, a massive chunk of voters for candidates

to win over in home-stretch ad buys. The same poll shows O’Connell leading with 20 percent of decided voters. Wiltshire follows with 15 percent, while conservative Alice Rolli comes in third with 13 percent. (The poll was released by MCR-affiliated group Harpeth Strategies, whose president is Metro Councilmember Dave Rosenberg. Rosenberg has endorsed O’Connell.)

All early voting locations will be open to Davidson County residents from Friday, July 14, to Saturday, July 29. The Banner also reported that Davidson County has added 63,157 people to voter rolls since the last local elections in 2019.

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

The purchase comes after the Metro Council in mid-May voted on third and final reading to approve a specific plan rezoning request related to the project. That vote followed a second reading vote in early May that followed about three hours of debate and citizen feedback, as the proposal drew significant positive and negative opinions.

The property includes a retail and office building hugging the White Bridge Road viaduct and recognized as the home of Agave’s Mexican Restaurant and Belle Meade Premium Cigars, among other businesses and the Kroger structure. The main address is 4500 Harding Pike.

The property sits within Metro Councilmember Kathleen Murphy’s District 24, with Murphy having previously noted the project proposal offers numerous favorable elements. Murphy sponsored the rezoning bill.

AJ Capital officials declined to disclose if brokers were involved in the deal. Nashville’s Robin Realty had represented the Mays for many years in the marketing and leasing of the retail spaces.

Campaign signs outside of a Nashville voting precinct. PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Belle Meade Plaza site

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“AJ Capital is excited to have completed the acquisition of Belle Meade Plaza,” the company emailed the Post. “We look forward to bringing a new and reimagined vision of Belle Meade Plaza to life.”

Related to the project, a Nashville Department of Transportation study shows multiple streetscape improvements AJ Capital has said it plans to incorporate. These include the widening of a portion of Harding Pike and the alteration of signal light placements to improve traffic flow.

AJ Capital plan four buildings of between

100 feet and 150 feet tall. One of the proposed buildings will include 78 hotel rooms and 388 residential units. Smaller buildings will front Harding Pike.

As previously reported, the incorporation of Richland Creek as a water feature and river walk are planned. About 60 percent of the site’s 10.5 acres will be devoted to green and open space.

Opened in 1961, the two-level modernist Belle Meade Plaza sits on roughly 10.57 acres. The building includes about 205,500 square feet and represents one of Nashville’s

first mixed-use buildings (retail on level one and office on floor two) oriented in a suburban manner, with the structure separated from the street by surface parking. Other tenants include Wells Fargo Bank, Ninki, Pho Ann, CVS, Starbucks, Office Depot and Katy’s Hallmark Shop. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Q&A: Vice Mayoral Candidate Jim Shulman

BY ELI MOTYCKA

From the dais, Vice Mayor Jim Shulman’s decisions have shaped the city for five years. After serving as a district councilmember and a councilmember at-large, he moved up to the chamber’s top job when then-Vice Mayor David Briley replaced Mayor Megan Barry when she resigned in spring 2018.

Shulman discusses controversial committee assignments, the gray areas of procedural discretion and his Red Bull consumption during late-night meetings while speaking with the Scene as he seeks reelection. His sole challenger in the Aug. 3 election is term-limited Metro Councilmember Angie Henderson.

What does the vice mayor do in this city?

Most people associate the vice mayor with running the city council meetings. That’s a primary responsibility, but there’s a lot of other things that the vice mayor does, most of which people don’t necessarily see. Besides getting ready for council meetings and trying to make sure that the agenda is squared away, I also try to understand what’s on the agenda, because, you know, there are procedural questions about how

the rules impact the agenda, those types of things. There is a lot of time and effort put into understanding how the meeting is gonna flow.

Is there an example recently or a significant moment in your first term when you were making a decision that really came down to your knowledge of procedure? Maybe you and Council Director Margaret Darby figuring something out?

The two closest examples were the special meeting to put Rep. [Justin] Jones back in as the interim successor to the legislature. That required five or six days’ worth of understanding first the law, and then how the rules applied and how the rules might not apply if they were suspended. And then what that meant procedurally. We had to have two special meetings and we had to make a call to the House clerk’s office — both with the help of Ms. Darby. It was all done within a period of four or five days where you were trying to answer questions from a rules perspective, from a legal perspective and from a procedural perspective on something that we really had never done before.

Another good example would be the Titans stadium. We knew that there were going to be procedural objections. We knew there were lots of different concerns floating around, particularly in terms of the timing of when the bill was coming, and we can’t take up debt obligations during a time when the operations budget was coming. That took a number of days just to kind of think through different things that might happen. It was obviously up to the council to vote on these things, but we just wanted to be in a position to make sure we understood what motions might be and what might be the objections so that we would actually know procedurally what was the correct way to process things.

You didn’t have to call a special meeting to get the Titans stadium deal passed — you could have let it run its course and waited till after budget negotiations. In that situation, you had the urgency of getting something done quickly from the mayor’s perspective, versus lots of objections from council about not rushing something so big. What are you considering in those moments?

The vice mayor is simply trying to get these things in a position where they can be voted on, then it’s up to the council to make the decisions whether they like the idea or not. On the Titans issue, it goes back months to discussions with [Councilmember At-Large] Bob Mendes about having a special committee group to spend the time to lay out the issues and to have community meetings. It was a fairly complicated deal — you were having to look at the existing obligations and then what was being proposed. You had to kind of understand what was going on with the East Bank. You had to understand what was going on with the existing stadium. There was about a nine-month period of time where this was all laid out, so that people could actually get a better understanding of what it was. I thought that when it came time to vote, people felt like they had had opportunities

to look at all those things. Eventually the budget committee, under [District 14 Councilmember] Kevin Rhoten’s leadership, was the ultimate group that had to take authority over the final documents, review those and then make a determination. Most of this, from a vice mayor standpoint, is just trying to keep the council in a position where people are allowed to vote on things and they make the determinations. You’re trying to follow the rules, follow the procedures, follow the process, and get the matter before the council so that they can decide. I am trying to, in the best possible way, to make sure that the process works so that the council can ultimately make a decision. A lot of people think that I work in the mayor’s office. I don’t work for the mayor, I work for the people of Nashville. The vice mayor’s ultimate responsibility is to lead the council in the sense of leading them to a meeting so that they can take whatever actions they want to take.

Are you able to say right now whether you’ll call a special meeting on the proposed racetrack renovation at The Fairgrounds Nashville, which seems to be headed for a bit of a procedural hiccup toward the end of the session?

I mean, I don’t know. I know some of the things that are headed to some type of vote, like the proposed amendment on the capital improvements budget. That’s a procedural thing that I saw coming and studied about what would have to happen. As vice mayor, I think part of my responsibility is to make sure that I know procedurally what’s gonna come and what it means.

But specifically, are you considering calling a special meeting to pass the speedway deal like you did for the Titans stadium?

Well, there’s three ways to call a special meeting. The council itself can call one. I

Belle Meade Plaza rendering

PHOTO COURTESY OF AJ CAPITAL PARTNERS

Jim Schulman PHOTO BY OFFICE OF MAYOR JOHN COOPER

can call one. Or the mayor can call one. The only reason that I would consider calling a special meeting is if it’s very clear that the council wants to take action and they want another meeting to do it. Otherwise, I think you let it play out. Part of my responsibility is to get an idea of what the council wants. You’re taking your cues from the body, but there’s some give and take. You’re trying to understand what the body wants to do and to keep them in the constraints of the rules and the process. You’re trying to allow open debate but you’re also trying to contain it so that it flows within the procedures.

Another way that the body functions is in committees. It’s another big responsibility of the vice mayor to help construct those committees and their leadership. How do you decide who to appoint to what committees, and who to appoint to lead committees?

I’ve served as a district councilmember and a councilmember at-large. When I was a district councilmember, chairmanships shifted pretty much every year. There was a rhythm. If you were chair of the Public Works Committee, you would move on, and somebody else would be chair the next year. The reason is, you try to give as many people on the council a chance to serve as a chair. You give people opportunities based on what they’re interested in.

Do councilmembers indicate their committee preferences to you?

At the beginning, you try to find out what they’re interested in. Then you try to do the best you can to match them up with their interests. It’s probably fair to say that most people understand that the budget committee is the most relevant committee in terms of dealing with resources and allocating those resources, so many, many people want to be on the budget committee. Well, I can’t put everybody on there. You’re trying to figure out what are the best places to put everybody within limitations. You try to match up expertise and you try to give everybody an opportunity to be in some type of chair role. Chairs then pick their own vice chairs.

David Briley, when he was vice mayor, chose committee assignments for two years. That’s fine. I chose not to do it that way because I wanted to give more opportunities for people to serve. It’s a balance.

A central message of your campaign was about open the lines of communication between the public and council. How has that gone in your first term? I know there was a tense public comment on the budget in 2020 and a couple times since. How do you balance allowing input from the public while also, in your words, maintaining the procedural

integrity and practical constraints of running a meeting?

I learned a significant amount over the last four years. We talk a lot about divisiveness, and that’s another reason why the vice mayor has to take the time to kind of understand what’s on the agenda and be prepared for what can happen. At council, people sometimes yell from the back and things like that. You have to be somewhat more flexible, but the whole goal of the meeting is for the council to be able to conduct its business.

We try to open up the lines of communication as much as we can, whether it’s through our public comment periods, being able to talk to the chairs of the committees beforehand to let them know they’re interested in saying something or special committees at the beginning of this term where we invited constituents to be a part of some of the issues that were going on. Now we’ve got this law that we’re gonna allow public comment on everything. We want to hear from folks, and we look at our emails. If people are willing to take the time to drive down here, to park, to find a way into the chamber, and they want to take two minutes to stand up in front of us, which some people are not real comfortable doing, we need to take the time to make sure that we hear them. We’re always trying to figure out better ways to hear from folks.

Lastly, your major challenge comes from Angie Henderson, a councilmember you’ve worked with who sits in the chamber you’ve presided over for four years. What’s different about you as a candidate?

We want people to run for office. She’s obviously interested, and so, you know, I’m glad she’s running. I’ve been a district councilmember for eight years, and I’ve served at-large for three years. Now I’ve served as vice mayor for five years. I have a lot of experience, I know the rules, I know the process, I know the procedures. I also have over 30 years of experience working in and around the state legislature — many, many years ago under then-Speaker of the House Jimmy Naifeh. I know processes and I know government, and I have many, many years of experience running large entities and finding ways to make things work. I know the city very, very well. I’d love to come back as vice mayor. I’m running this time for the same reason I ran in the first time for district councilmember: to find ways to make a difference for the people of Nashville.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Scene. This story has been edited for length. To read the full version, visit www.nashvillescene.com

Jim Gingrich suspends mayoral campaign

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Retired AllianceBernstein executive Jim Gingrich on Monday announced he is suspending his mayoral campaign.

Early voting started Friday, and his name will remain on the ballot. Gingrich spent about $2 million on his bid, mostly selffinanced.

Gingrich launched his campaign in February, a week after Mayor John Cooper announced he would not run for reelection.

The retired business executive made his opposition to the recent multibillion-dollar Titans stadium deal a central part of his campaign. He moved to Nashville with AllianceBernstein in 2018.

“With deep gratitude to the city of

Nashville and a heavy heart, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for mayor,” Gingrich said in a release. “After deciding what was best for my family, how to honor my campaign team, respect every single supporter we have gained, and in consultation with the electoral data available, we have decided to put the best interest of the Nashvillians first and allow voters to rally behind another candidate.”

Gingrich applauded campaign manager Emily Cupples and field director Adam Altendorf.

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

Racetrack opponents, supporters spar over deal

BY STEVE CAVENDISH AND CONNOR DARYANI, NASHVILLE BANNER

This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and The News. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com.

The ongoing feud over a deal to overhaul the Fairgrounds Speedway escalated last week with a back-and-forth between the mayor’s office and an anti-racetrack group.

Mayor John Cooper’s race to get the racetrack deal done this term has been tumultuous. Last month, chaos ensued when it was announced District 17 Metro Councilmember Colby Sledge would be holding the community meeting required for the legislation to proceed on July 25, leaving only two meetings until the end of the term. The racetrack deal requires three Metro Council meetings to pass, so it would effectively be pushed to next term, a prospect that constituents and councilmembers critical of the racetrack deal support.

An attempt by Councilmember Zach Young, who has loudly supported the racetrack deal, to circumvent Sledge was met with distaste from most of the chamber. But despite these setbacks, the mayor’s office has plunged ahead, with high hopes that there’s still a narrow avenue for the deal to pass this term.

Last week, at a meeting of the Sports Authority, another body that must approve the racetrack deal, fuel was added to the fire during a presentation by Ben Eagles, senior adviser to the mayor, and Metro’s Deputy Legal Director Tom Cross.

During the presentation, Eagles directly addressed some of the loudest anti-racetrack voices, calling them out for spreading misinformation about the deal, and even

Former senator, Democratic leader Herron dies at 69

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

referenced mayoral candidate Jim Gingrich’s most recent ad. In the ad, Gingrich said that the money being used for the racetrack deal should be used somewhere else, such as on schools or affordable housing, a claim that has also been made by anti-racetrack groups. With the racetrack funds coming from bonds, Eagles said this is a false claim.

“Absolutely none of the dollars in this project are available for Metro to use on schools or infrastructure,” Eagles said.

“We would never propose a deal that suggested rerouting money from teacher pay, neighborhood infrastructure, affordable housing, public safety or other important priorities to a sports deal.”

Eagles examined two different mailers during his presentation, going through each one and dispelling pieces of supposed misinformation that have been commonly circulated by those opposed to the racetrack. He directly responded to criticism of the deal by Nashville SC owner John Ingram, who expressed concerns over having side-by-side concert facilities on the fairgrounds.

“It seems inconceivable that two or three concerts per year represents ‘a recipe for disaster that could threaten the economic integrity’ of Geodis Park. Of course if that were actually the case, I would have expected to hear opposition to other venues being proposed and built at various capacities and configurations,” Eagles said.

(Eagles’ full remarks are here. The full video of the Sports Authority meeting can be found here.)

But following his presentation, Cross presented the Sports Authority with new information that Citizens Against Racetrack Expansion (CARE) latched onto in a press

release the following day.

During the presentation, Cross said that construction costs of the racetrack renovations will not be known until November and that if those costs are more than the number pledged by the state, Convention and Visitors Corp. and Metro, then Speedway Motorsports/ Bristol Motor Speedway can stick with the deal or walk away.

“If it is more than the bond amount, Cross said BMS will ‘…have to make a decision’ … to participate or walk away,” reads CARE’s press release. “Delay this project so a new council and a new mayor can get the hard numbers and make an informed decision about using taxpayer money to bring NASCAR into a Nashville Neighborhood. There is no urgency and reason for the current deadline.”

The bonds pledged for the deal would not actually be pulled until after construction costs are confirmed and BMS has made their decision to stick with the deal or walk away. A Cooper administration spokesperson said there would effectively be little to no cost associated with Metro making the deal this term should BMS ultimately walk away.

That being said, the path to finalizing the deal remains tough. Proponents of the racetrack went back to the legislature in the spring to change the threshold for demolition of the existing speedway grandstand from 27 votes to 21 votes. A charter referendum in 2011 requires twothirds of the Metro Council to approve demolition on the Fairgrounds Nashville site.

Metro’s Department of Law filed suit over the state law, arguing that the bill, which effectively singled out Nashville, was a violation of home rule. There are

Roy Herron

Roy Herron, a longtime former state lawmaker and the onetime chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, died Sunday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 69.

Herron was injured in a jet ski accident in Stewart County on July 1, according to his family.

The attorney and author served in the state House and Senate, representing his hometown of Dresden and West Tennessee, from 1986 to 2012. He unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress in 2010 and was chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party from 2013 to 2015.

In recent years, Herron has lobbied the state legislature on behalf of public education interests.

Tributes to Herron poured in from both sides of the aisle.

Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) called Herron “a worthy adversary and passionate defender of his constituents.”

Former Vice President Al Gore said Herron “was a dear friend and one of Tennessee’s most devoted citizens.”

“His untimely passing is a tragedy,” Gore added. “Roy was a steadfast advocate for the working people of Tennessee and always stood up for our most vulnerable.”

Herron is survived by his wife of 36 years, the Rev. Nancy Carol Miller-Herron, in addition to sons John, Rick and Benjamin and brother Ben. Services are expected to be held this weekend in Martin.

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

Jim Gingrich PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Trauma Reboot Brings Hope Through Healing

It was to be a day of celebration. She was due to graduate from high school and receive her diploma from her dad, the assistant principal of her school. But someone else had other plans. “When I was 18, my dad was murdered by a teacher in the school who was attempting to blow up my high school during our baccalaureate service,” she remembered. Her Dad’s death— which actually stopped the explosion--ultimately saved her and her family’s life as well as the lives of fellow graduates, their families and community friends. Authorities estimated that there would have been over a thousand people in the school that day.

“While my dad was considered a hero, I was angry,” she said. “Dad was a faithful follower of Christ - he didn’t just talk about his faith, he lived it,” she recalled. The pain didn’t go away because she nursed the anger because her dad was gone. His murderer was locked away and all she could do was channel her anger toward graduating from college, raising a family and climbing the career ladder. The main result from that fateful Saturday was her decision—and her entire family’s decision--to drop out of church.

“Throughout the years, my family and I had tried going back to church, but something in the church service would eventually get too close to me actually dealing with my trauma, so I stopped going. I was fiercely loyal to my dad’s memory and kept him ‘alive’ in any way that I could. In hindsight, facing my trauma felt like a betrayal to my dad. Remembering and facing that day meant that I accepted it, which I did not.” As a result, the family’s church life faded away while she nursed her anger.

“During the pandemic period, we began watching several live-stream church services on YouTube and kept coming back to Harpeth Heights on-line services. I was watching Easter Sunday. Because I had been raised in church, I had heard Easter sermons numerous times, so quite frankly, I was halfway paying attention to the on-line service.

I was in my o ce, multitasking. When our pastor at the time - Brandon - read verse Luke 24:5 and got to the part, ‘Why are you looking for the living among the dead?’ I froze. My mind went blank, and then I realized -- that’s what I’ve been doing with my dad.” Her anger wouldn’t go away until she heard that verse and thought, what if I channeled all my passion and loyalty towards my heavenly Father instead of to my dad....what does that look like? I was so humbled that--after all these years--God was still trying to reach me and had never given up on me.

“My anger didn’t just disappear, but this was a turning point for me. Once the pandemic restrictions were lifted, we began going to Harpeth Heights in person, got involved in various areas of the church, and my husband and I were both baptized in September 2021.”

Her dad’s murderer had his third parole hearing in July, 2022. As you can imagine, this was/is very emotional and extremely di cult for her and her family.

“I felt myself taking familiar steps away from God again. This time, though, I reached out to church members about getting some help in therapy. (I have been in and out of therapy since dad’s murder.) While therapy helped for a while, it always ended badly with a stint in group therapy that - for various reasons - did not work for me,” she commented.

“I’ve always gotten the most out of my small groups at church,” she said, “and one day I was scrolling through the new groups section on our church website and came across a notice about the new Trauma Reboot course. Without

the Holy Spirit was at work. I found ways to heal, to grieve and to forgive. Week 3 of the 12-week course featured what became my mantra verse, Genesis 50:20. ‘You planned evil against me; God planned it for good - to bring about the present result - the survival of many people.’

She went on: My passion has always been for victims of violent crimes. Watching all the news stories about violence had me wanting to jump on a plane and go to help these victims. The first time, I considered booking a flight was when I saw trial coverage of the Bu alo, NY, grocery store shooting. One of the victims’ family members was interviewed, saying, “Someone needs to fix this.” I could just feel how much she meant that. I could relate to feeling that. I’ve emotionally sat in her living room with a recurring thought, “I know I can’t fix it for her, but I wanted to love on her, cry with her, hear her and pray over her.”

Trauma Reboot has made this passion come alive for me, she said. “While helping me heal from my trauma, I’m also able to help others with theirs. I’m in a room full of people with scars similar to mine. Pain feels di erent when it finds purpose.” Being a Trauma Reboot graduate gives purpose to my pain and glorifies God. I feel like this is what God has called me to do, and I am so grateful for the privilege to be part of His plan. In a small classroom of dedicated leaders and other broken people, the Holy Spirit was at work. I found ways to heal, to grieve and to forgive. Healing with people whose scars are similar to mine, gives my pain purpose and gives God glory. She’s now training to be a Trauma Reboot leader, enabling her to help other trauma victims. “I can love on them, cry with them, hear them and pray with them. I have never felt more fulfilled than I do right now. Who could take someone as angry, stubborn, heartbroken and bitter as me, and get me to this point? ....Only God.

Trauma Reboot will meet at Brentwood Baptist Church on Sunday evenings starting August 27th

For more information, please contact Garrett Gregory at ggregory@brentwoodbaptist.com

“While helping me heal from my trauma, I’m also able to help others with theirs. I’m in a room full of people with scars similar to mine. Pain feels di erent when it finds purpose.”

The importance of tipping: Supporting our hardworking servers

BY BILL FREEMAN

I recently came across an enlightening CNBC story about Brendan Madden, a 25-year-old driver for Luigi’s Famous Pizza and Catering in Lincroft, N.J. The compelling account relates Madden’s experiences as a delivery driver and the challenges he faces in an industry heavily reliant on tips.

For me, Madden’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the impact our tipping habits can have on the lives of hardworking individuals. It was disheartening to learn about the unpredictability of his earnings, which can range from a meager $13 to a substantial $200 in tips on any given day. Madden lives with his parents and has clear gratitude for his own situation, while also expressing his concerns about how others survive given the flaws in the tipping system. He discusses the challenges of relying on the goodwill of customers. I believe his story resonates with the struggles faced by servers nationwide, and highlights the need for us to examine our own tipping practices and

NOISE- - - -REGARDING NOISE

The June 29 Ticked off letters about NOISE both had a valid message to the original letter writer. I just want to add to those comments. Here in the southeast Nashville area we have neighbors that feel they have to have two or three dogs. One neighbor has two dogs that are free to roam around the fenced in yard, and bark, bark at every movement they see. Of course their owner never seems to hear these dogs because they ignore the noise and just let them bark, bark, bark. No consideration of some of their neighbors which might be third shift workers and need their sleep

consider the far-reaching consequences they can have.

Let’s take a moment to delve into the origins of the term “tip.” According to one story related by the Tampa Bay Times, the term supposedly originated in 18th-century English taverns, where patrons would place coins in a box marked “To Insure Promptness.” While there may be days when we feel the service is not as prompt as we would like, we must remember that servers, like anyone else, have their share of challenges. They may have personal issues, financial difficulties or even health concerns, yet they strive to provide us with a pleasant dining experience.

Unlike many of us who have the luxury of retreating to an office or private space when we have a bad day, servers are constantly in the public eye throughout their shifts. While I don’t make excuses for workers who display laziness, I firmly believe that the majority of those in the hospitality industry are dedicated and committed to their roles.

TICKED OFF!

during the day. Then there is the other neighbors that have 3 dogs tied up and allowed to also bark at every movement they see. And this goes on many times a day. SO to you who is irritated at people trying to make their lawns and sidewalks look nice (and that noise might only last 20 or so minutes) be glad you don’t have neighbors that have these “pets” that they ignore who bark every 20 minutes. Or less.

MORE NOISE

Is it really necessary for the Amazon delivery person to toot the horn several times at 7:00 AM on a Monday morning?

I co-own a restaurant called Valentino’s in Nashville, so I appreciate the efforts of restaurant owners who — like myself and my business partner — strive to create a fair and supportive environment for both servers and patrons.

Let’s focus on Tennessee’s server wages.

According to a recent table noted on the U.S. Department of Labor website, the minimum wage for tipped employees is a mere $2.13 per hour, a figure that hasn’t changed in many years. All employees working in the United States are entitled to at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, but many may not realize that employers can use an employee’s tips to meet this requirement. However, if an employee does not earn enough tips to reach the minimum wage, the employer is obligated to make up the difference. It is essential for servers to understand their rights and inform their employers if they consistently fall below the federal minimum wage.

Food delivery workers also experience very similar outcomes, as mentioned by Madden in the CNBC story. CBS News ran a story back in April on the fact that tipping etiquette has changed, specifically since the pandemic: “Tipping etiquette — once relatively simple and straightforward — has been upended in the last few years, as a global pandemic … and the rise of third-party delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, which tack on a slew of fees that appear to include delivery charges, can leave customers feeling less than generous toward delivery people themselves.”

This is understandable. It’s hard to tip if you think the company providing the goods is already taking care of their employees. Still, I’d encourage you to read the fee section carefully to see what portion the server or delivery person is actually receiving.

What’s more, kindness, patience and a smile don’t cost anything — and are always appreciated.

Let’s make a conscious decision to be more generous with our tipping. Our generosity can significantly impact the lives of servers and contribute to a fairer and more sustainable hospitality industry. I encourage restaurant and venue owners also to ensure they take good care of their servers, recognizing their hard work and dedication. Together, we can foster an environment that values and supports those who make our dining experiences enjoyable. By tipping generously, we can demonstrate gratitude for the tireless efforts of servers and contribute to their financial stability and well-being.

Bill Freeman

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

MIKE SMITH

PRESIDENT AND CEO

BILL FREEMAN OWNER

Most people don’t want to hear that (so early) at all. Maybe if the delivery person had a brain they would realize that.

Also I would like to thank the lawn people after blowing grass trimmings for over 2 hours during lunch. I thought maybe it would go on all day. Most neighbors don’t want to listen to that noise, how about you give it a rest?

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

State sales tax holiday approaches

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

The annual holiday is approaching for shoppers to purchase clothing, school supplies and computers tax-free.

The sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 28, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 30. But, there are some exceptions for items that will not be included.

For example, apparel that costs $100 or less will be considered tax free, but if an item is priced over that tax will apply. Jewelry, handbags, or sports and recreational equipment will also still have sales tax applied.

The $100 rule also applies to school supplies. While many school items such as binders, paper, writing utensils, art supplies, backpacks and more are acceptable, if an item’s cost goes over that threshold, tax will apply

Computers fall into their own category.

They must be for personal use, not business, and have a price of $1,500 or less. Laptops and tablets fall into this category as well. Other electronic items like flash drives, software and printer supplies are not tax-exempt.

For a full list of exempt items coming up on the tax-free weekend visit thenewstn.com.

A sales tax holiday for food is also approaching. While a tax-free grocery holiday lasted a month in 2022, this year it will last for three months between August 1 and October 31. Food items are taxed at 4 percent statewide with local taxes varying. Prepared food, dietary supplements, candy, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco will not be considered exempt items.

Nashville prepares to spend $23 million from opioid settlements

BY HANNAH HERNER

The Nashville-Davidson County steering committee tasked with spending $23 million in opioid abatement funds took a step forward Tuesday in determining where the money will go.

Based on discussions at a Tuesday Opioid Settlement Steering Committee, Davidson County’s approach, at least for now, will focus more on connecting people in need to treatment than on prevention services. The committee settled on a 15-month pilot program to fund recovery care, which includes medication-assisted treatment and short-term stays in recovery homes, as well as the hiring of peer recovery specialists.

The money comes as a result of various lawsuits against companies that made, distributed or sold opioid painkillers, including Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson and Walmart.

The group has met three times since it formed — in January, February and on Tuesday. It is led by Gill Wright, director of the Metro Public Health Department, and includes members from Nashville Fire Department, Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug, and other Addiction Services, Vanderbilt Psychiatric hospital and various nonprofits including My Fathers House Nashville, Neighborhood Health and Mending Hearts.

Next, the steering committee will draft a request for proposals for organizations that can provide the envisioned services. The draft RFP will be presented to the Metro Council, which is responsible for allocating the money that’s been paid out from the state so far. Wright wants to move quickly, he said, and leverage existing relationships with the current mayoral administration, which leaves

MIDDLE TENNESSEE’S PREMIER RUG CLEANER

SINCE 1909 SINCE 1909

CELEBRATING 114 YEARS 1909 2023

IN-PLANT RUG CLEANING

• Pet Odor Specialist • Hypo-Allergenic

• Drop off at Plant or Pick-up Delivery

ON-LOCATION CLEANING

• Carpet • Upholstery

• Deep Steam Cleaning Method

Save $25.00 OFF with this ad on $200.00 or more with rug or carpet cleaning (cash or check only) Expires 8/31/23

Call Now for Free Estimate!! 615-221-0009

Drop-off location: Brentwood South Business Center 7108 Crossroads Blvd. #303 Cool Springs (West of Mall) Are

Send

office this fall.

“The mayor is very receptive right now, so I’d like to do something soon,” Wright said.

Members at the meeting discussed the cost of such treatment, estimating that it costs around $14,000 per year to pay for medication-assisted treatment. Detox can cost $300 to $800 per day, and respite care $500 per day. The group discussed adding a vulnerability index to target the most vulnerable Nashvillians.

After evaluating the results of the pilot, which Wright estimated will spend threefifths to four-fifths of the money allocated, the committee will decide whether to request additional funds from the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council, which has more than $600 million and counting to distribute.

The money flowing into the state is broken down into a number of sub-funds:

15 percent goes directly to counties, which amounts to $23 million in Davidson County

15 percent to the Tennessee General Assembly to spend as it chooses

70 percent goes into a bank account managed by the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council

Of that 70 percent, 35 percent is divided by the counties, but each county will have to certify that it complies with a list of outlines from the council. Davidson County received $3 million from this category earlier in February.

The remaining percentage will be open to grant proposals, though the state has not yet established an application process.

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

NOTICE TO BELLE MEADE RESIDENTS PUBLIC HEARING LEGAL NOTICE

A public hearing meeting will be held during the regular Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. at Belle Meade City Hall, 4705 Harding Road, Nashville, for consideration of the following proposed Ordinance, with caption as follows:

CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 2023-06, “AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TITLE 14-206 OF THE BELLE MEADE MUNICIPAL CODE TO CLARIFY THE QUORUM REQUIREMENTS OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS”. ON SECOND AND FINAL READING

Public comments will be accepted at this public hearing. Parties wishing to speak on these issues shall be present at the meeting or submit comments to the Office of the City Recorder, 4705 Harding Rd, Nashville TN or via email to Rterry@citybellemeade.org on or before the public hearing date and time. Copies of the Ordinance are available for inspection at City Hall during normal business hours, Mon-Fri, 8am to 4pm, or online at www.citybellemeade.org.

Jennifer Moody | City Manager | City of Belle Meade

At-Large Candidates: A Deeper Look

BY CONNOR DARYANI, NASHVILLE BANNER

This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the News. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news and will launch later this year. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com.

Following the deadline for candidates to qualify for the ballot, the Nashville Banner sent a questionnaire to all Metro Council candidates asking them basic questions about themselves and policies they support, oppose or might encounter while in office: the Titans stadium plan, license plate readers, police staffing, property taxes, the city-state relationship, affordable housing and transit. The following is a synthesized version of each of the 21 at-large candidates’ responses, including some extra context about some of the candidates.

Visit nashvillescene.com to see our ongoing series of interviews with at-large candidates.

INCUMBENTS

Burkley Allen is one of two incumbents running for a second term. She previously served two terms as the District 18 council representative. She voted in favor of both the Titans stadium deal and license plate readers (LPRs) but does not support facial recognition technology being used in public. Affordable housing is one of her top priorities, and as a councilmember, she participated in the affordable housing task force and also worked to pass multiple pieces of housing-related legislation, including one allowing people to build detached accessory dwelling units in their backyard. She played a big role in regulating short-term rentals, requiring permits and enforcement. She says the city cannot move forward without securing dedicated

funding for transit and believes community engagement will be an important aspect of getting people on board in order to avoid a failure similar to that in 2018.

Zulfat Suara is the other incumbent running. A Nigerian immigrant, Suara voted yes on the Titans stadium deal and no on LPRs. She works as the executive director of grants and contracts at Meharry Medical College and has served as a member of various community organizations during her time in Nashville, including the American Muslim Advisory Council. She does not believe Metro needs more police officers, and instead believes we should be investing in nonpolicing alternatives such as mental health professionals and community programming. In the 2019 runoff, she secured the last available at-large seat, becoming the first Muslim elected to the Metro Council. She is one of three councilmembers who filed a lawsuit against the state over the Metro Council reduction bill, along with Delishia Porterfield, who is also running for an at-large seat.

NONINCUMBENTS

Tony Chapman is a Republican from Antioch. Chapman did not answer any questions.

Chris Cheng might be recognizable from his hot sauce business, Hot Sauce Nashville, which he owns with his wife and sells at local farmers markets. He was also a captain in the U.S. Army, serving as a Ranger. One of his top priorities is supporting small businesses, and he hopes the new Titans stadium deal will encourage people to spend more money at local restaurants and businesses. On the question of more police and LPRs, he is open to discussion and wants to ensure there are open lines of communication to see what is best for the city. He wants to explore

options for dedicated transit funding, and aside from upgrading bus services, wants to encourage regional transit systems.

Chris Crofton is a musician and comedian. For many years before he announced he would be running for an at-large seat, Crofton wrote the Advice King column for the Nashville Scene, which often touched on national, state and local politics. In 2022, Vanderbilt University Press published his columns in the book The Advice King Anthology. He believes we should be funding comprehensive health care, public education and better wages for workers — things he says he’d rather fund than more police officers and LPRs. He would not have voted for the Titans’ stadium deal. One of his top priorities is more nonalcohol-related culture downtown, along with affordable housing and transportation.

Stephen Downs is a retired social worker and has served on the state Democratic Executive Committee. His top priority is repairing the relationship between the city and state governments, saying the Metro Council “bit off our nose to spite our face” by voting against hosting the 2024 RNC. He has worked with various political campaigns, and done community work such as neighborhood clean-ups and organizing events. He feels the city likely needs more police officers beyond the unfilled positions, but his first focus is providing raises to the police force. He has concerns over LPRs and believes a better relationship needs to be developed between the public and the police force. He believes there are lots of improvements that could be made to the city’s transit system, and that dedicated funding is a must.

Quin Evans-Segall serves on Nashville’s Industrial Development Board. Although the IDB is typically a rather invisible

government body, during her time on the board she pushed back on deals the city was making, such as one with the Montgomery Bell Academy. She co-founded Voices for a Safer Tennessee and has served on a number of nonprofit and community boards and committees. She is a lawyer by day. Many of her top priorities involve updating city government to be more effective and efficient, and better able to carry out vital tasks such as updating the bus system. She does not think the Titans stadium plan was a good deal, and she has concerns over LPR usage.

Ronnie Greer was the District 17 councilmember from 1999 to 2007. He says he would not have voted for the Titans stadium deal. He’s not sure whether Nashville needs more police officers, is unsure about LPRs, is unsure whether WeGo needs improvements over the next four years and is disturbed by the relationship between the city and the state.

Arnold Hayes is a retired engineer and teacher and previously served on the Community Oversight Board. He does not believe the city needs more police officers and instead would like to focus on making the city safer in other ways, such as funding for mental health programs. He says he would not have voted for the Titans stadium deal and would have preferred to take an issue like that to the voters and let them decide. He wants to ensure more support for the Barnes Housing Trust Fund, but also wants to reevaluate summer emergency housing and at what temperatures it should be opened. He would like to see bus routes expanded over the next four years.

Brian Hellwig is an “asset protection specialist” at Home Depot, which means he focuses on safety and theft mitigation. He previously served as the chief safety and security officer at Kent State University. His top priority is security and safety, with a focus on retail theft and organized retail crime. He believes downtown development has been great, but that there needs to be more emphasis on safety. He would not have supported the Titans stadium deal. Hellwig is very supportive of LPR usage and would support the use of facial recognition technology. He also believes the city needs more police beyond the unfilled positions.

Olivia Hill made a name for herself when she sued Vanderbilt over allegedly discriminating against her because she’s transgender. She has worked to advocate for women and the LGBTQ community. She’s a Navy veteran, and her top priorities are infrastructure, homelessness and transportation. She does not believe the city should use LPRs, and while she did not take a position on the Titans stadium deal, she now wants to focus on the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as updating the transportation and utilities downtown. She believes we need to expand the bus system and establish a dedicated

Nashville’s 21 Metro Council at-large candidates

funding source for transit.

Yolanda Hockett is the program committee chair of Rebuilding Together Nashville and works as a juvenile corrections administrator. She would have voted for the Titans stadium deal “if youth benefited from it,” and supports LPR usage. She believes property taxes will need to be adjusted in the next four years in order to meet the needs of the city. Supporting the city’s youth is one of her top priorities.

Howard Jones will likely be a familiar name to anyone who has voted in Nashville recently. He has run for office multiple times, including most recently a bid for Circuit Court judge. He has worked as a high school principal, a senior pastor and a community organizer. His top priority is community safety, and he believes the city needs more police officers beyond the unfilled positions. He says he would not have voted for the Titans stadium deal, and he supports LPR usage, as well as the use of facial recognition technology. He believes that if the city can do a deal like the Titans stadium, it should be able to put together a $1 billion plan to address affordable housing. He would support a dedicated funding source for transit and believes WeGo should be updated to support the needs of the city.

Marcia Masulla helped start Nashville Fashion Week. She worked for The Tennessean until 2017, when she started ROAR Nashville, a communications firm. She also worked as an aide for Mayor John Cooper. She has worked with local nonprofits, including the Tiny But Mighty Fund and the Table Action, and serves on the community benefits agreement board between Nashville SC and Stand Up Nashville. She says that while she would not have initially supported the Titans stadium deal that was first on the table, the final deal made sense. She is open to the usage of LPRs and possibly even facial

recognition, but wants to see the data from the pilot program to back it up. She feels it is important to invest in the Metro Nashville Police Department and expand programs that could help to prevent crime. Safety, affordable housing, education and transit are her top priorities. She believes there needs to be a referendum to secure dedicated funding for transit so we can expand bus service, create dedicated bus lanes and expand or create other services.

Delishia Porterfield is one of three district councilmembers running for at-large, but the only one who is not term-limited. She was first elected to District 29 in 2019 through a special election before winning the seat in the general election that August. She voted against the Titans stadium deal, does not support usage of LPRs, and rather than invest in more police officers, wants to invest in affordable housing, creating well-paying jobs and other community programming to decrease crime. She is one of the few candidates who definitively says a property tax adjustment will be needed in the next four years in order to meet the needs of the city. She joined Suara in the lawsuit against the state over legislation to cut the Metro Council in half, and has been an outspoken voice against many of the state’s actions during the past session. She also made headlines when she led the charge to reinstate Rep. Justin Jones after his expulsion, which was notable because Jones beat Porterfield for the District 52 state House seat in 2022.

Russ Pulley is term-limited in District 25. He is a retired FBI agent and spent 24 years officiating college football in the Southeastern Conference. He has been a part of various community organizations and church groups in the Green Hills area. He voted yes on the Titans stadium deal, wants to invest in more police and “strongly” supports LPR usage. Crime, public safety

Racetrack opponents, supporters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

and affordability are some of his top priorities. During the 2020 budget cycle, he pushed for a $2 million increase in the Metro Nashville Police Department budget, despite an attempt from current Councilmember At-Large Bob Mendes to strip that from the budget. Recently, he was a main opponent of a bill from District 5 Councilmember Sean Parker that redefined “family” in the zoning code, allowing more unrelated individuals to live in a single household.

Gilbert Ramirez is a retired Metro Nashville police officer who now works in private security. During his time with MNPD, he organized community events, such as health fairs and festivals. He believes Nashville needs 400 officers beyond the unfilled positions and that the city needs to slow downtown development, such as plans for the East Bank, and focus on the surrounding neighborhoods. He did not give a yes-or-no answer regarding the Titans stadium. He believes facial-recognition technology and LPRs could be useful, but is cautious due to studies showing facial recognition can lead to racial profiling. His top priorities are education, affordable housing, infrastructure and transportation.

Indrani Ray is a health care consultant who previously worked for Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the state. Ray did not answer any of the Banner’s questions, though she did participate in a Q&A with the Nashville Scene and the Nashville Post in which she highlighted her interest, as an economist, in “making sure our expenditures are in directions of improving our welfare.”

Jeff Syracuse is one of three district council members vying for a promotion to an at-large seat. He is currently wrapping up his second term as the District 15 representative in the Donelson area. He voted in favor of both the Titans stadium deal and LPRs. He has spent his career working in the music industry, and during his two terms placed

a strong emphasis on preserving the music business in Nashville. He is in favor of Nashville dedicating funding to transit and increasing WeGo’s bus services. Syracuse also has played a big role in advocating for better trash pickup, and pressuring Red River, a waste service contractor, to be more consistent with their pickups. He was also responsible for legislation late last year that banned smoking in bars and concert venues, a bill that was met with resistance from local dive bars. He supports having another transit referendum and wants to see a big emphasis on regional transit.

Deloris Vandivort is a registered nurse. Her top priorities are schools, infrastructure and getting the city’s finances in order. She believes downtown development needs to slow down, and would like to see Lower Broadway become a walking-only area. She would not have voted for the Titans stadium deal as is. She does not have an issue with LPR usage but has concerns over facial recognition technology.

Jonathan Williamson works in the hospitality industry, at Marriott as a business systems analyst. He would not have voted for the Titans stadium deal, and he does not feel the city needs more police beyond the unfilled positions. He does not feel LPRs should be used the way they are and is against facial recognition technology. He feels a property tax adjustment will “absolutely” be needed, in part because of the stadium and East Bank development. He supports the creation of a dedicated funding source for transit and wants to expand regional transit to neighboring towns. He recently came under fire for several 2022 tweets relating to vaccine hesitancy, immigrants and Jewish people. One, which has since been deleted, read: “Gews and banks. Smh. This is America.”

four suits total, including one filed last week seeking declaratory judgment in Chancery Court on the threshold question needed to

tear down the old grandstand and build a new one.

“Such proposal by the Speedway

agreement does not fall within the definition of ‘demolition’ contemplated by Section 11.602(d) of the Metro Charter. Therefore, the supermajority requirement of Section 11.602(d) does not apply to the Speedway agreement. Rather, only a simple majority vote from the Metro Council is required to approve the Speedway agreement,” reads a complaint filed by Howard Tucker, a racer at the Fairgrounds Speedway who is sponsored by Santa’s Pub. Tucker’s attorney is Jamie Hollin, a former Metro councilmember who helped lead the coalition that stopped Karl Dean’s administration from demolishing the site and redeveloping it. That effort established the 27-vote threshold that he now seeks to have clarified.

The suit by Tucker would effectively make the Metro Legal suit moot. (The full complaint is here.)

If a deal is going to be approved, Cooper’s administration has very little margin before

he leaves office.

In an interview with the Banner, Vice Mayor Jim Shulman said this deal could be delayed until after the elections and a new council is seated. But Cooper and his team would not be in office to push for it.

“It could be punted,” Shulman said. “And I’ve had the discussion with the mayor’s office and said, ‘you know, we’re down to the end of this term.’ It’s really hard, I think, to push major projects right at the end of the administration, particularly when there’s a new administration coming in. Because, you know, the council can vote on something, and then they leave it for the next administration to try to handle. I know that the mayor is very interested in this. And he and his staff has put a lot of time into it. But it could be passed to the next administration.”

RACETRACK RENDERING BY PERKINS EASTMAN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stumps in Nashville The presidential hopeful served as keynote speaker at the Tennessee Republican Party’s 2023 Statesmen’s Dinner

BY MATT MASTERS

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is currently vying for the GOP presidential nomination, served as the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Republican Party’s 2023 Statesmen’s Dinner at Nashville’s Music City Center Saturday night.

DeSantis called Biden the “custodian of American decline,” and hit on familiar GOP talking points. He focused on

combating “woke” ideology in a relatively low-energy speech compared to those given by his principal rival, former President Donald Trump.

“I think our mission is very simple,” DeSantis said. “We must reject the idea that as Republicans our job is to just manage the decline a little bit better than the Democrats.

I’m not interested in managing the decline in

this country, I want to reverse the decline of this country.”

DeSantis specifically vowed to replace officials who he said are ideologically motivated, such as FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was nominated by Trump in 2017 and retained by the Biden administration.

DeSantis earned the largest applause while speaking about “protecting children” against the “sexualization of minors.” He discussed his ongoing battle with Disney and the content of books in public schools.

DeSantis warned the crowd that “the Democrats are playing for keeps,” predicting a completely Democratic-controlled federal government if Biden wins reelection. He said a second Biden term could result in a liberal Supreme Court majority and the end of the electoral college.

“Our politics right now is not about what the tax rate is going to be, or how many welfare benefits are going to be distributed,” DeSantis said. “Our struggle right now is, are we going to reject the heritage of freedom that our founding fathers have left to us, or are we going to revive that heritage of freedom?”

Saturday’s event drew hundreds of GOP officials and donors to the Music City Center, including Tennessee’s newest U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles. Notably absent, however, were Gov. Bill Lee and U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, the three of whom appeared in prerecorded video messages.

Lee was scheduled to appear with DeSantis in Franklin in April, but that event was postponed following the March 27 Covenant School shooting.

Both Blackburn and Hagerty threw their

support behind Trump’s reelection in April, which Ogles also did following his election in 2022.

In May, Blackburn reacted to DeSantis’ campaign announcement in remarks to The News, avoiding specifically commenting on DeSantis. Instead, she commended fellow GOP contenders Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

In that interview, Blackburn didn’t specifically answer what she thinks DeSantis’ role could or should be within the Republican Party, but said that the party sees states “as our labs of innovation” for ideas and policies that could be replicated by other states or at a federal level.

Per Rolling Stone, DeSantis appears also to be losing other critical Republican establishment support, including from Fox News’ Rupert Murdoch. This comes as DeSantis’ campaign cut some staff positions amid fundraising challenges, as reported by Politico.

Despite the uphill battle DeSantis continues to face in the shadow of Trump, the presidential hopeful said “there is no substitute for victory” in what is undoubtedly a pivotal time for the future of the GOP.

“We cannot have a culture of losing in this party where we give up winnable elections all across this country, and then have recriminations or excuses about why you can’t commit,” DeSantis said. “Don’t tell me you can’t win — go out there and get it done.”

Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee speaks in a video message at the Tennessee Republican Party’s 2023 Statesmen’s Dinner at Nashville’s Music City Center.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Supporters of former President Donald Trump hand out Trump campaign stickers at the Tennessee Republican Party’s 2023 Statesmen’s Dinner at Nashville’s Music City Center where presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis was the keynote speaker.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Florida Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at the Tennessee Republican Party’s 2023 Statesmen’s Dinner at Nashville’s Music City Center. PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

13 local students named 2023 National Merit Scholarship recipients

BY STAFF REPORTS

On Monday, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced approximately 750 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities. These Merit Scholar winners join more than 3,000 other award recipients who were announced in June.

Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who will attend their institution. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

This year, 153 colleges and universities are sponsoring over 3,800 Merit Scholarship awards. Sponsor colleges include 81 private and 72 public institutions located in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

This year’s competition for National Merit Scholarships began when high school juniors took the 2021 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of

program entrants. In September 2022, more than 16,000 Semifinalists were named on a state-representational basis in numbers proportional to each state’s percentage of the national total of graduating high school seniors. Semifinalists were the highestscoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of the nation’s seniors.

To become a Finalist, each Semifinalist had to complete a detailed scholarship application, which included writing an essay, describing leadership positions and contributions in school and community activities, showing an outstanding academic record, and being endorsed and recommended by a high school official. Semifinalists also had to take the SATor ACT and earn scores that confirmed their performance on the initial qualifying test.

From the Semifinalist group, over 15,000 attained Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists were chosen to receive National Merit Scholarships.

Several local students were among this year’s finalists. Read the full list below:

Thomas J. Bork - Ravenwood Villanova University

Stephen Cartiglia - Franklin Road Academy Montana State UniversityBozeman

Grace Lu - Brentwood University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

Nihar K. Sanku - Brentwood Florida State University

Abigail M. Koczaja - Page University of South Carolina

Sophie M. Vergne - Lipscomb Academy Harding University

Paxton V. Whitehead - Page Harding University

Benjamin Bradshaw Franklin Road Academy University of Alabama

Davis FosterChrist Presbyterian Academy Vanderbilt University

Gregory A. Gomez

Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet University of Alabama

Niles C. Meltesen Montgomery Bell Academy University of Alabama

Lain N. Orndorff Montgomery Bell Academy Northeastern University

Jackson Rehm - Ensworth Vanderbilt University

Lipscomb receives grant for substance abuse certificate program

BY HANNAH HERNER

Lipscomb University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program has received a $1.65 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration to fund a Healthcare Professionals Certificate Training (HPCT) program focused on substance abuse.

The grant includes tuition for 50 students to receive a certificate in substance use disorder treatment, in an effort to

boost the behavioral health care workforce, according to a press release.

The curriculum is designed for physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and social workers practicing at federally qualified health centers and will focus on cooccurring mental health and substance abuse disorders in underserved communities. The first cohort of 10 practitioners will begin the program in January 2024

“Through this grant we will equip professionals with the tools they need to make an impact in this critical area of mental health care,” said DeAndrea N. Witherspoon Nash, director of Lipscomb’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

“I am thankful that through this grant we will increase the number of mental health and health care practitioners providing mental health support as well

Berry Hill commercial building listed for sale

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

A Berry Hill commercial building located near Geodis Park has been offered for sale for an undisclosed asking price.

Located at 2600 Grissom Drive, the building sits on 0.77 acres and was once home to promotional products marketing firm McEwen Cherry Inc. It is unclear if the company is still operational.

The late Robert T. Cherry acquired the property in 1973 for $24,710, Metro records notes. His son Bob Cherry now owns the property and had operated the

business from the two-story building, which opened in 1974.

McEwen Cherry was founded by James McEwen Cherry (Robert’s father) in 1928, initially serving only automotive and industrial companies with marketing, promotional, incentive and premiums programs.

Bob Cherry has enlisted Stream Realty’s Stephen Graw (vice president of investment sales) and Matt Garvey (associate) to handle the marketing and sale of the property.

With an alternative address of 563

Rosedale Ave., the property sits near a 3.25-acre property on which Phoenixbased Alliance Residential Company plans mixed-use building (residential and retail) Broadstone Berry Hill. Alliance paid $16.1 million for the property, long home to food product company Mrs. Grissom’s Salads Inc., which is located at 2500 Bransford Ave.

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

as substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery service. This is an important way we can serve the Nashville community and make a positive impact on the lives of those who need these services the most.”

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

Athletes from across the Nashville-area named TSWA all-state for

track and field STAFF REPORTS

CLASS AA

TRIPLE JUMP

Amaya Warren, Central Magnet, Jr.

SHOT PUT

Carolyn McRee, Maplewood, Jr.

Beyonca Lovelace Coleman, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, So.

DISCUS

LaNaya Roberts, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Jr.

Beyonca Lovelace Coleman, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, So.

100-METER HURDLES

Nevaeh Hyde, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Sr.

100 METERS

The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced all-state track teams for three classes in Division I and two classes in Division II last month for the 2023 season

Below are the Nashville-area honorees.

GIRLS TRACK

CLASS A

LONG JUMP

Jakayla Morris, Pearl Cohn, Jr.

TRIPLE JUMP

Aziaah Shute, East Nashville, So.

Averyuna Beckley, East Nashville, Jr.

HIGH JUMP

Aniyah Marshall, East Nashville, Sr.

100-METER HURDLES

Janae Bowers, Whites Creek, Sr.

Aziaah Shute, East Nashville, So.

100 METERS

Cha’raya Hawkins, Pearl Cohn, Jr.

300-METER HURDLES

Errianna Thomas, Pearl Cohn, Jr.

Aniyah Marshall, East Nashville, Sr.

200 METERS

Cha’raya Hawkins, Pearl Cohn, Jr.

3200 METERS

Ella Summers, Merrol Hyde, Fr.

PENTATHLON

Aniyah Marshall, East Nashville, Sr.

Aziaah Shute, East Nashville, So.

Aaliyah Varnado, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Fr. 1600 METERS Gabrielle Boutros, Page, So.

400 METERS Koriona Boyd, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Sr.

300-METER HURDLES

Amya Joy, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Jr. Nevaeh Hyde, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Sr.

200 METERS

Aaliyah Varnado, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Fr. Koriona Boyd, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Sr.

PENTATHLON

Amya Joy, Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Jr.

CLASS AAA

POLE VAULT

Carolina Bannach, Green Hill, Sr. Ella Pine, Lebanon, Sr.

LONG JUMP

Sophie Yount, Brentwood, So.

Alyssa Arkava, Ravenwood, Sr.

TRIPLE JUMP

Ryan Moore, Centennial, So.

HIGH JUMP

Cameron Bryan, Green Hill, Jr.

SHOT PUT

Sarah Tang, Independence, Sr.

DISCUS

Sarah Tang, Independence, Sr.

100-METER HURDLES

Maya Follmer, Wilson Central, Sr. Aiyah Siggers, Green Hill, Jr.

100 METERS

Kymora-Lee Williams, John Overton, So.

1600 METERS

Claire Stegall, Nolensville, So.

Jordan Rayl, Ravenwood, Sr.

400 METERS

Sophie Yount, Brentwood, So.

Kymora-Lee Williams, John Overton, So.

300-METER HURDLES

Abby Miller, Summit, Jr.

800 METERS

Gabrielle Boulay, Centennial, Sr.

Lia Banovac, Brentwood, Fr.

200 METERS

Sophie Yount, Brentwood, So.

Kymora-Lee Williams, John Overton, So.

3200 METERS

Larkin Johnson, Centennial, Fr.

Lauren Banovac, Brentwood, Fr.

PENTATHLON

Sophie Yount, Brentwood, So.

Maya Follmer, Wilson Central, Sr.

Sterling Webb, Wilson Central, Sr.

DIVISION-II-A

POLE VAULT

Holly Schreibner, University School of Nashville, Sr.

LONG JUMP

Ashlyn Patton, Battle Ground Academy, Sr.

Paisley Deloy, Middle Tennessee Christian, Jr.

TRIPLE JUMP

Kori Robinson, Davidson Academy, Jr.

Laurel Phelps, Battle Ground Academy, Jr.

Jamia Mays, Harding Academy, Fr.

HIGH JUMP

Kori Robinson, Davidson Academy, Jr.

Laurel Phelps, Battle Ground Academy, Jr.

SHOT PUT

Cai’ra Simmons, Davidson Academy, Fr. Erica McGary, Harding Academy, So.

DISCUS

Erica McGary, Harding Academy, So.

100-METER HURDLES

Ashlyn Patton, Battle Ground Academy, Sr.

100 METERS

Alima Kassim, University School of Nashville, Jr.

400 METERS

Olivia Jelsma, University School of Nashville, Sr.

300-METER HURDLES

Annie Trapp, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.

800 METERS Aubrey Lane, Grace Christian Academy-Franklin, Sr.

200 METERS

Alima Kassim, University School of Nashville, Jr. Sue Majors, Providence Christian Academy, Jr.

3200 METERS

Abby Deering, Franklin Road Academy, So.

PENTATHLON

Olivia Jelsma, University School of Nashville, Sr. Laurel Phelps, Battle Ground Academy, Jr.

DIVISION-II-AA

POLE VAULT

Emerson Simpson, Brentwood Academy, Jr. Whitney Sanders, Ensworth School, Sr.

LONG JUMP

Addison Belletete, Father Ryan, Fr.

TRIPLE JUMP

Addison Belletete, Father Ryan, Fr. Sarah Reynolds, Harpeth Hall, Jr.

HIGH JUMP

Evie Wilson, Brentwood Academy, 8th grade Lilly Carman, Lipscomb Academy, Sr.

SHOT PUT

Mensi Stiff, Brentwood Academy, Sr. Taylor Grimes, Brentwood Academy, Sr. Olivia Hughes, Brentwood Academy, Jr.

London Humphreys

PHOTO BY DAVID RUSSELL

DISCUS

Mensi Stiff, Brentwood Academy, Sr.

100-METER HURDLES

Sarah Reynolds, Harpeth Hall, Jr.

Addison Belletete, Father Ryan, Fr.

100 METERS

Jaloni Cambridge, Ensworth School, Jr.

Lauren Wynn, Harpeth Hall, Jr.

1600 METERS

Annamaria Bacchetta, Harpeth Hall, So. Lily Bowen, Harpeth Hall, So.

400 METERS

Jaloni Cambridge, Ensworth School, Jr. Kate Williams, Brentwood Academy, Sr.

300-METER HURDLES Halli Olivo, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Fr. Caroline Perri, Father Ryan, Fr.

800 METERS

Lily Bowen, Harpeth Hall, So.

200 METERS

Lauren Wynn, Harpeth Hall, Jr.

3200 METERS

Lily Bowen, Harpeth Hall, So.

Annamaria Bacchetta, Harpeth Hall, So.

PENTATHLON

Cassie Callis, Lipscomb Academy, So.

Sarah Reynolds, Harpeth Hall, Jr.

BOYS TRACK

CLASS A

LONG JUMP

Donavon Higgins, Pearl Cohn, So.

TRIPLE JUMP

Donovan Higgins, Pearl Cohn, So.

HIGH JUMP

Maki Wallace, Pearl Cohn, Sr.

800 METERS

Parker Breitling, Merrol Hyde, Jr.

DECATHLON

Donovan Higgins, Pearl Cohn, So.

CLASS AA

TRIPLE JUMP

Reggie Rogers, Maplewood, Sr.

HIGH JUMP

Benjamin Bradley, Portland, So.

SHOT PUT

Cole Combs, Page, Sr.

DISCUS

Cole Combs, Page, Sr.

110-METER HURDLES

Jordan Rutland, Page, Sr.

400 METERS

Will Scott, Page, Sr.

300-METER HURDLES

Will Hester, Portland, Jr. Jordan Rutland, Page, Sr.

CLASS AAA

POLE VAULT

Kyler Nichols, Green Hill, Sr. Canon Kinder, Brentwood, So.

LONG JUMP

Sterling Weldon, Nolensville, Jr.

HIGH JUMP

Donovan Starr, Ravenwood, So. Lewis Lagrant, Rockvale, Sr.

SHOT PUT

Timi Williams, Rockvale, Jr.

DISCUS

Tyson Jackson, Farragut, Sr. Timi Williams, Rockvale, Jr.

110-METER HURDLES

Jakobe Tharp, Rockvale, Sr. Aiden Carter, Brentwood, Sr.

100 METERS

John Sherman, LaVergne, Sr.

1600 METERS

Miles Ramer, Ravenwood, Jr.

400 METERS

Hudson Allain, Brentwood, Jr.

300-METER HURDLES

Morgan Lewis, Nolensville, Sr.

800 METERS

Miles Ramer, Ravenwood, Jr. Owen de Giorgio, Green Hill, Sr.

200 METERS

John Sherman, LaVergne, Sr.

3200 METERS

Robert Pautienus, Brentwood, Jr.

DECATHLON

Aiden Carter, Brentwood, Sr. Canon Kinder, Brentwood, So.

DIVISION-II-A

POLE VAULT

Griffin Frankfather, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.

LONG JUMP

Justin Davis, Harding Academy, Sr.

Eli Wilson, Middle Tennessee Christian, Jr.

TRIPLE JUMP

Justin Davis, Harding Academy, Sr Griffin Frankfather, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.

HIGH JUMP

Griffin Cooper, Columbia Academy, Jr. Jamison Moore, Davidson Academy, Sr.

SHOT PUT

Joe Crocker, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.

DISCUS

Joe Crocker, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.

110-METER HURDLES

Justin Davis, Harding Academy, Sr.

100 METERS

Sidney Ware, University School of Nashville, Sr. Jonathan Wilson, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.

1600 METERS

Ryder Ortner, University School of Nashville, Fr. Drew Johnson, Donelson Christian Academy, Sr.

400 METERS

James Wormbrod IV, Nashville Christian, Sr.

300-METER HURDLES

Griffin Frankfather, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.

Justin Davis, Harding Academy, Sr.

800 METERS

Ryder Ortner, University School of Nashville, Fr.

200 METERS

Sidney Ware, University School of Nashville, Sr. Conner Mcgee, Battle Ground Academy, Sr. James Warmbrod IV, Nashville Christian, Sr.

3200 METERS

Sammy Mohamed, Harding Academy, Sr. Drew Johnson, Donelson Christian Academy, Sr.

DECATHLON

Griffin Frankfather, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.

Justin Davis, Harding Academy, Sr. William Adkins, Harding Academy, Jr.

DIVISION-II-AA

POLE VAULT

Jack Perry, Montgomery Bell Academy, Jr.

LONG JUMP

London Humphreys, CPA, Sr. Joshua Roberts, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.

TRIPLE JUMP

Sammy Taylor, Ensworth, Sr. CJ Jimcolly, Lipscomb Academy, So.

HIGH JUMP

Joshua Roberts, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr. Peter Darst, Ensworth School, Jr. Brooklen Davis, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.

SHOT PUT

Drake Carlson, Father Ryan, Sr.

DISCUS

Drake Carlson, Father Ryan, Sr.

110-METER HURDLES

Charlie Becker, Father Ryan, Jr. Sam Fisher, Lipscomb Academy, Sr.

100 METERS

Ondre Evans, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr. London Humphreys, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Sr.

1600 METERS

Luke Thompson, Brentwood Academy, Jr.

400 METERS

Ryan Jones, Father Ryan, So. Nathaniel Nelson, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.

300-METER HURDLES

Charlie Becker, Father Ryan, Jr.

800 METERS

Jack Wallace, Montgomery Bell Academy, So.

200 METERS

London Humphreys, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Sr. Ondre Evans, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr.

3200 METERS

Luke Thompson, Brentwood Academy, Jr.

DECATHLON

Sam Fisher, Lipscomb Academy, Sr. Sammy Taylor, Ensworth School, Sr. Garner Ezell, Lipscomb Academy, Jr.

Predators’ 2023-24 schedule features home-heavy November

BY JOHN GLENNON

Filip Forsberg PHOTO BY CASEY GOWER

The Predators will open their first season under new coach Andrew Brunette on Oct. 10, when the team plays at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nashville’s home opener will be Oct. 12 against Seattle.

The Predators, who missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years last season, released their full 82-game, regular season schedule for 2023-24 on Tuesday.

Here are some highlights:

The team’s busiest month will be December when the Predators will play 15 games in 30 days — seven home and eight away. The schedule that month will include a pair of home games book-ending Christmas, Dec. 23 against Dallas and Dec. 27 against Carolina.

Nashville will face Florida, where Brunette served as interim head coach

during the 2021-22 season, twice this season — at home on Jan. 22 and away on March 21.

A number of players traded away by the Predators over the past few months will make initial returns to Bridgestone Arena. Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm is first (Oct. 17), followed by Colorado center Ryan Johansen (Nov. 20), Pittsburgh forward Mikael Granlund (Nov.

28), Tampa Bay forward Tanner Jeannot (Dec. 7) and Winnipeg forward Nino Niederreiter (April 19).

The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights will visit Nashville on March 26.

The Predators will play a season-high eight home games in November.

The Predators will play nine sets of back-to-back games, including five sets of back-to-back contests on the road.

The Predators will play 12 Saturday home games, including five at earlier starts: Nov. 18 vs. Chicago (1 p.m.); Dec. 2 vs. the New York Rangers (3:30 pm.); Dec. 23 vs. Dallas (2 p.m.); March 2 vs. Colorado (5 p.m.); and March 23 vs. Detroit (4 p.m.).

The Predators will have two fivegame road trips, Oct. 31-Nov. 9 against Vancouver, Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg; and Feb. 17-25 against St. Louis, Vegas, Los Angeles, San Jose and Anaheim.

The team will have two five-game homestands, Nov. 11-22 against Arizona, Anaheim, Chicago, Colorado and Calgary; and Feb. 27-March 7 against Ottawa, Minnesota, Colorado, Montreal and Buffalo.

The Predators will play a season-high eight home games in the month of November.

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

Titans getting a highly motivated DeAndre Hopkins

BY JOHN GLENNON

DeAndre Hopkins’ signing isn’t even official yet, but all indications are the Titans will be getting a highly motivated wide receiver — in addition to a highly talented one.

The first indication Hopkins is fired up and ready to go?

The simple fact he is signing now — in the middle of July — as opposed to waiting for weeks or months, in hopes other teams might become interested — or desperate, due to training-camp injuries — and offer him even more money.

Recall the great Jadeveon Clowney chase of 2020. The edge rusher strung out his pursuers forever in hopes of landing a whopper deal, eventually signing a one-year, $12 million deal with the Titans on Sept. 6.

Hopkins could easily have followed a similar path, but chose to commit now, meaning he will be with the team at the start of training camp. That’s a somewhat surprising decision for a veteran of his stature, one who reportedly isn’t a huge fan of practicing.

The second indication Hopkins is coming in hot?

He isn’t holding back on social media, as Hopkins posted this message on Twitter in response to those saying he was over the hill or signed with the wrong team: “I always loved having haters and doubters but I appreciate it even more now. Titan up!!”

Hopkins also shared his excitement about pairing with Titans running back Derrick Henry on his Instagram page,

posting a photo of the two players together.

Henry responded in kind, offering a couple of flexed-arm emojis and a brief message: “Let’s work gang!”

There’s also plenty of monetary motivation for Hopkins, 31, who signed a reported two-year, $26 million deal.

Per the NFL Network, the value of that contract could rise to $32 million with incentives — $3 million in each of the two years.

Breaking the report down even further, Hopkins can max out the incentive clauses by totaling at least 95 catches, 1,050 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of the two seasons.

The 10-year veteran has hit all three marks in three of his previous seasons

(2015, 2017 and 2018), reaching at least two in five of his seasons.

Hopkins’ totals in nine games last year — 64 catches, 717 yards and six touchdowns — project to 121 catches, 1,354 yards and six touchdowns over 17 games.

It remains to be seen whether Hopkins can overcome age and some recent injuries — not to mention a sluggish Titans offense — to put up huge numbers for this team over the next two years.

But it certainly sounds like he’s motivated to do so.

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

The Honey Collective works to create an inclusive community

BY JANET KURTZ

In the bucolic setting of Cornelia Fort Airpark at Shelby Bottoms, birds chirp in the morning air as cattle graze in neighboring fields. Each day, groups of superorganisms get to work. Colonies of bees industriously collect pollen from grasses and plants, bringing it all back to the hive to transform into honey. Hives like those at Cornelia Fort — which are made possible through a partnership with Metro Parks — are appearing more frequently in Nashville, in part due to the diligent work of the newly formed Honey Collective.

When Honey Collective co-founder Hanes Motsinger, now acting in a business development capacity, first envisioned The Honey Collective, she was still a relative novice at keeping bees. “I took my first beekeeping class about 12 years ago because I wanted to learn more about honeybees as superorganisms,” says Motsinger. “I

was curious about the role they play in bringing food to our tables, and about the ways in which I might help steward healthy pollinator populations (and their habitats) in the future. It wasn’t until about 10 years later that I got bees for the first time.”

After jumping in feet first, Motsinger joined the Nashville Area Beekeepers Association. There she met co-founder Ian Dawe, who mentored her through the process of maintaining healthy hives. Together with Gretchen Trast, the pair founded The Honey Collective in 2022 to assist with apiary setup and hive management.

Dawe is a former London police officer turned professional butler. He always had a passion for gardening, and so beekeeping became an offshoot of that hobby. “I was always admiring beekeeping as part of [gardening], but also realized I wanted to have my own honey, knowing it was

produced as pure honey with no artificial additives,” Dawe says, noting that most commercial honey is largely adulterated with ingredients like corn syrup and glucose.

It took time for Dawe to perfect the skill of beekeeping, but he now manages his own hives as well as hives for clients of The Honey Collective, acting as the group’s head beekeeper. On any given day, he may be found tending to a hive, planting pollinators that will help with nutrition diversity for the bees and checking on queens to ensure successful hive management. But “management,” he will tell you in a lilting British accent, is a loose term. “Bees refuse to read the manual on beekeeping and do whatever they fancy doing.”

Beekeeping has evolved in recent years. While once a hobby for gentlemen of leisure, it has now become a more inclusive space. Co-founder Trast explains the need for diversity in the field. “Beekeeping is very difficult to do in a silo, and having a community to do this with makes it even more fun and fulfilling,” says Trast. “The community The Honey Collective has tried to curate is to involve people who typically haven’t been included in the beekeeping community — young people, women and queer folks.”

But beekeeping is not without its barriers. “Beekeeping is an expensive hobby,” says Motsinger. “Everything has to be bought in bulk, but you may only need a small amount. The Honey Collective is here to offer the ability to buy smaller amounts, which creates less waste.”

The work of The Honey Collective not only keeps the hobby alive through generations, but also helps support a crucial need. Since 2010, scientists have recorded

significant declines in bee populations.

According to a report by Utah State University, multiple factors are at work that add to the decline, including habitat loss, pesticides, poor nutrition and climate change. On average, scientists estimate, 30 to 40 percent of bee colonies in the U.S. are lost each winter to these and other factors.

The Honey Collective carefully harvests honey to ensure that each colony has at least 40 to 50 remaining pounds available for overwintering. That means the group may not harvest honey from a hive if it produced only 40 pounds in a given year. This ensures that the bees have enough honey to rely on as a food source through the winter and don’t have to depend on sugar water — a common but less healthy alternative.

Customers can purchase a regular supply of the harvested honey by signing up for the group’s “hive-to-home” Honey Share Program. While the Honey Share Program is sold out for 2023, Nashvillians can also purchase The Honey Collective’s products in locally owned shops like Well House Coffee and Bare Bones Butcher and at the East Nashville Farmers Market. The Honey Collective has also recently been accepted into Second Harvest Food Bank, where their honey goes to homes experiencing food insecurity or located within food deserts.

Pick up the July issue of our sister publication Nfocus to read a profile on a few of Nashville’s beekeepers.

Five free and cheap family things to do in middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

Let’s start with a couple ways to keep cool this week: Stay inside by taking your teen to the Play Like a Girl field day in Bellevue or take your smaller kiddos over to the Splash Bash at Lucky Ladd Farms. (There’s a way for the adults to stay cool there too!) Or the Country Music Hall of Fame will be keeping it cool with an instrument petting zoo that’s part of regular admission — and admission is free for the youngins. Or heat things up over at Maggiano’s with a kids cooking class. And then there’s the latest iteration of Cornelia Fort Pickin’ Party over in East Nashville. It might be a hot night out at the end of July, but the tunes will be worth it.

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:

MINI MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO

Did you know that the Country Music Hall of Fame is free for children under the age of 18 that are from Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties? Adults accompanying children can also come along for 25 percent off admission for up to two adults. Along with admission on July 22, families can come “bang a drum, pluck a guitar, and strum a ukulele” at the museum’s Mini Musical Instrument Petting Zoo. The event is for all ages.

KIDS COOKING CLASS

Maggiano’s is hosting hands-on classes for kiddos where they will decorate their own chef hats, learn basic cooking skills and create their own version of Maggiano’s

Mom’s Lasagna to bring home to their family. There will also be a breakfast buffet. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Kids older than 3 years old are welcome, and adults must stay with children who attend.

SPLASH BASH

The Splash Bash at Lucky Ladd Farm is happening again. Lucky Ladd calls it “the ultimate water-themed event for kids to celebrate the back-to-school season!” The day has several water events, including water slides, a large splash pad area, bubble blast play area, water tables, mini-wading pools and more. Each child will receive a free frozen treat to help keep cool. Students can also enter their favorite teacher in a contest to win a $100 Amazon gift card at the event.

PLAY LIKE A GIRL HOCKEY FIELD DAY

Ahead of the Play Like a Girl camp at the Ford Ice Center Bellevue, the center is hosting a free field day event on July 22 at 2 p.m. The event also includes a free learn-toskate opportunity for girls aged 10 to 15.

CORNELIA FORT PICKIN’ PARTY

East Nashville’s Cornelia Fort Pickin’ Party is slated for July 22 at Cornelia Fort Airpark. The event is family friendly and includes music, craft beer and wine, kids and family activities, food vendors and more. Kids under 16 do not require a ticket if they attend with a ticketed adult. Proceeds from the show and party go toward revitalization projects at Shelby Park & Bottoms and Cornelia Fort Airpark.

The Honey Collective PHOTO BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

Yay Yay’s Blackberry Pound Cake

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

Chef and owner, Charlotte Miller dredges the blackberries in flour before folding them into the cake batter. That way

they don’t “bleed” into the cake. Charlotte prefers a pound cake pan, rather than a Bundt pan, but you can use that too.

ACROSS

1 Not a good look

5 Not together anymore

10 Not doing anything

14 Not doing anything

15 Not the good stuff

16 Not have

17 Not one’s landline number

18 Not yet decided

20 Not up for a proposal?

22 Not yet proven

23 Not having scored, in soccer

24 “Not something I needed to know,” in a text

25 Not ones to miss

30 Not on the same page

35 “Not ___ million years!”

36 Not a liability

38 Not your average shopping trip

39 “Not safe for work” stuff

41 Not showy

43 Not entirely: Prefix

44 Not a fan

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks unsalted butter

3 cups sugar

7 eggs

zest of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup sour cream

3 cups sifted flour

2 pints fresh blackberries, dredged in flour pinch salt

1. Butter and flour an 8-cup pound cake pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Place butter in mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add lemon zest and vanilla; Beat well. Add sour cream; Beat well. Add flour and salt and mix gently. Fold in blackberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Let pan sit on a damp towel (the steam helps loosen the cake) 5-10 minutes. Invert cake and place top up on cake stand

Follow Edible Nashville on instagram @ediblenashtn and their website ediblenashville.com. To subscribe to the magazine that comes out 6x/year, go to ediblenashville.com.

46 Not playing it safe

48 “Not too shabby!”

49 Not getting enough iron

51 “Not exactly …”

53 Not, in France

55 Not yet two years old

56 Not the main point

60 Not for a fee

64 Not seeing clear ly

66 Not in the dar k about

67 Not know from ___

68 Not perfectly round

69 Not par ticipate openly on social media

70 Not well done

71 Not so old

72 [Not much time to lose!]

DOWN

1 Taste, as a lollipop

2 Jack London’s “Martin ___”

3 Major fashion magazine

4 Insist no more

5 Barefoot, say

6 Setting for “Make Way for Ducklings”

7 National air line of Poland

8 Bygone Apple messaging app

9 Louise’s partner of film

10 Get out of Dodge, say

11 Reverberated

12 “Behold!,” to Brutus

13 Scraped (by)

19 Goes here and there like a butterfly

21 Alaska senator Mur kowski

25 “Supernatural” actor Collins

26 Emasculate

27 Prepare in a pan, maybe

28 “Cómo ___?”

29 Major mattress maker

31 Missions, informally

32 “Liber ty means responsibility. That is why most men ___ it”: Shaw

33 Possessive type?

34 Japanese watchmaker

37 Mosaic piece

40 President pro ___

42 State of confusion

45 More mature

47 Prefix that means one-billionth

50 Often a river r uns through it

52 Annual award presented by the Science F iction and Fantasy Writers of America

54 ___ Irwin a.k.a. the Crocodile Hunter

56 Ski lift

57 Alan with six Emmys

58 A block or so away, say

59 Hear ts or darts

60 Maravich in the Basketball Hall of Fame

61 Sonata, e.g.

62 Rober ts dubbed “America’s favorite novelist” by The New Yorker

63 Working in a mess, for short

65 Go off course

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. 0614

PUZZLE BY JENNIFER HOELZER

TN Waltz Ladies and Gentlemen’s Party

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

A Tennessee Waltz Ladies and Gentlemen’s Party was held in the soaring lobby of the Tennessee State Museum, to benefit the museum.

Guests greatly enjoyed seeing the building, which encompasses 137,000 square feet of administration and gallery space and opened to the public in 2018. It is located at 1000 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard in Nashville.

The tables at the party were covered in beautiful lilac cloths and lovely blooms in purple and other flowers were used in the centerpieces for each table.

Catering & Events by Suzette provided a delicious buffet offering beef tenderloin on rosemary biscuits, hot chicken on grit cakes, tomato and Benton bacon tarts, and a charcuterie display with artisanal cheeses, meats, chutney, jams, chowchow, breads, fruit and pickled vegetables.

Desserts were peach hand pies, spiced pecan tassies, pound cake and blackberry shots, and Jack Daniel’s chocolate mousse shots.

In addition to anything guests might have wanted from the bar, there was a moonshine tasting presented by Sugarlands Distilling Company, of Knoxville.

Music was by The Modern Mozarts, a traditional live string trio featuring violin, cello, and guitar.

The silent auction had some very interesting items, including: a gift certificate for Hatef Aesthetics treatments; a tour of Bi-Centennial Mall and an autographed

book about the mall by Kem Hinton, the architect who designed the award-winning space; a tour of the State Capitol with the retired Capitol Curator and Art Historian Jim Hoobler; a crystal evening bag; Crowned Heads Limited edition cigars; a dinner for two at Morton’s with two bottles of wine; a Martin’s Bar-B-Que bucket of premium sauces, cookbook autographed by Pat Martin, gift certificate and a set of spice shakers; a Sugarlands Distillery basket of six flavors of award-winning moonshine; an appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus; and a meal for two donated by Ray Stevens at his dinner theater, CABARAY.

Party guests included: Cheryl and Samuel Daniel, Faith and Ryan Carter, Sara and Chris Cropsey, Catherine Haire, Tre and Dawn Hargett, Todd Harelson, Morel Harvey, Geary Leathers, Lynn and Michael Lawler, Debbie Martin, Ann Price, Liz Sillay, Greg Vital, Chengshan Wang, Milton White, Richard and Teresa White, and Emily and James Weaver.

A Tennessee Waltz’s patron party will be Saturday, August 19 at the Hermitage Hotel and A Tennessee Waltz is set for Saturday, September 30 in the State Capitol.

For more information about the museum or the fundraising event, call 615-741-2692, email info@tnmuseum. org, or visit tnmuseum.org.

Anne and Rob Smith, Michael and Courtney Atnip, and Shelley and Chris Courington

Jason McKernan, Anna Richardson, Lindsey McKernan, and Chris Richards

Joe Howell, Gail Danner, and Ashley Howell

Jonathan Turner, Marty Luffman, Alice Rolli, and Chase Cole

Brenda Daniel, Lynn and Michael Lawler, and Sabrina Hooper

Tony Watson, Dan Justice, Mick McGauran, and Joe Howell

Jenny Jackson and Will Muse

Melissa Blackburn and Tim Strobl Martha and Jim Crossman

John and Nancy Krusac, Kurt Tarter, and Gina and Matt Gallivan

Tim and Becky Carroll, Shealia Hearn, and Alexis and Dwayne Lewis

Steve Sirls, and Sharon and Will Cheek

Chris and Dianne Spencer Marilyn and Kem Hinton Allen DeCuyper, Miles Fields, and Michael Ezsol

D. J. and Kella Farris, Biz and J. P. Homik, and Brad Kavan

Tommy and Cynthia Patey, Pamela Lewis, Delicia Garner, and Wynn Adams

Jim Hoobler and Jennie Esler

SHOP DEALS AND STEALS FROM NASHVILLE’S FAVORITE BOUTIQUES!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19 | 10AM-2PM

THE FACTORY AT FRANKLIN’S LIBERTY HALL

NEW LOCATION

GENERAL ADMISSION AND VIP TICKETS ON SALE NOW! A BOUTIQUE WAREHOUSE SALE

SPONSORED BY:

SNACK WHILE YOU SHOP!

PARTICIPATING BOUTIQUES

ANY OLD IRON | BANDED | CT GRACE, A BOUTIQUE LIVING OUT YOUR CUSTOM LIFESTYLE CUTE & COMFY SHOES | ELLE GRAY | EXTENDED SHOP | FAB’RIK FRANKLIN | FINNLEYS

FLASH & TRASH & A LITTLE BIT OF SASS | FRANKLIN ROAD APPAREL | THE FRENCH SHOPPE

K. MCCARTHY | MOUNTAIN HIGH OUTFITTERS | RAD RAGS ONLINES | RORY + CO | SILK N HONEY STYLE WITH A TWIST TRUCK BOUTIQUE | UNITED APPAREL LIQUIDATORS | THIS IS THE FINALE | THE WILLING CRAB PLUS! LINKED BY SILK N HONEY WILL BE THERE TO CUSTOM FIT AND PERSONALIZE A PERMANENT PIECE OF JEWELRY JUST FOR YOU!

FASHIONFORAFRACTION.COM

p & t Concrete

eldeRly CaRe

Certified CPR, 40 years home healthcare experience. Cleaning, medications, day to day companion care.

dorothy Harvell (615) 416-9771

Are you looking for a dependable caregiver or sitter. Honest, hardworking, trustworthy, reliable. Light housekeeping, running errands, doctors appointment a.m. or p.m

References upon request. Ms. Batey (615) 578-8664

FlooRing

Hardwood floors, cleaned, waxed, buffed, sanded and/or refinished. Over 75 years in flooring.

Corlew & perry, inc. (615) 832-0320

gutteRS

green Hills lock & key Servicing the area since 1974!

Deadbolts Installed Locks Re-keyed • Lockouts Locks Repaired & Serviced (615) 269-3616

Moving/Hauling

i Haul anytHing

- Since 1990Deliveries, Estate Property Clean Outs, Brush & Appliance Removal, Construction Waste, Demolition & more... No Job Too Small!

Wyatt Mallonee (615) 499-2218

painting/papeRing

pRayeR

need prayer?

If you are in need of prayer, call 888-388-2683

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will have prayer partners available to talk with you 24/7.

pReSSuRe

WaSH

kyle’s pressure Cleaning

Property Pressure

Washing:Driveways, Back Decks, Front Porch, Swimming Pool, Concrete & more. (615) 424-5354

RooFing

R. H. Callis & Sons inc.

Roofing, Siding, Metal, Slate, Flat Roofs. 38 years experience

References. (615) 969-7717

CallisRoofing.com

License, Bonded & Insured

tRee SeRviCe

top notch tree Service

Topping & trimming, deadwooding, removals, brush chipping, stump grinding Insured & Free Estimates Call Mike (615) 834-6827

Wanted

We buy Vinyl Records, Comic Books, CDs, Blu-Rays,DVDs, Toys, Video & Role-Playing Games, CCGs, Stereo Equipment,Music & Movie Memorabilia,and much more. In business 40+ years; No collection too large or small.

Mention this ad when you call. BUY - SELL - TRADE the great escape Call 615-364-3029

TheGreatEscapeOnline.com

eleCtRiCal

SvCS.

eleCtRiCian Priced Right!

New Work, Old Work & Service Calls. 10% senior discount.

Licensed-Bonded-Insured

(615) 522-1339

BBB Accredited w/ Reviews

20 year advertiser!

goodfred Window Cleaning gutter Cleaning Gutters

• Downspouts Cleaned

• Debris Removal

• Gutter Guards

• Gutter Repair (615) 382-5127

HoMe iMpRoveMent

Complete Home Repair & improvements

Native Nashvillian in business since 1992.

Additions, Decks, Window Replacement, Furniture and Playground Equipment Assembly.

All Types of Repairs.

Licensed, Bonded, Insured Call Bob (615) 300-5558

pluMbing

Mt. Juliet plumbing and Leak Detection

“Beariffic Plumbing Repair Service!”

Local Licensed experienced Plumbers (615) 733-5665

Carter plumbing Commercial & Residential New Installation & Repair Service Drain Cleaning Service

Licensed, Bonded & Insured All Work Guaranteed! (615) 232-9051

tRee SeRviCe

Chair caning and all styles of weaving. Wicker repair available. Pick up and delivery. the Cane-eRy (615) 269-4780 / 414-5655

bulldog tree Service

WindoW Clean

313-7375

eric’stree Service Big, Tall or Small, We

Insured • Free Estimates Call Eric / Owner (615) 779-1870

all Seasons Window Cleaning Specializing in residential windows. Serving Nashville over 38 yrs! Licensed - Bonded - Insured Free Estimates

Low Prices (615) 889-9164