March 7, 2024

Five killed in Monday night plane crash along I-40

BY MATT MASTERS

Two adults and three children were killed on Monday evening when a singleengine airplane crashed along Interstate 40 just past the Charlotte Pike exit.

The Piper PA-28-32-300-T turbocharged aircraft was registered in Canada and departed Ontario, Canada, on March 4, before stopping in Erie, Pennsylvania, then in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, before heading to its next scheduled destination, Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport, before crashing just three miles from the airport around 7:45 p.m.

Investigators have not identified any of the victims but did confirm that they were all Canadian citizens who departed Ontario together. Some personal effects were recovered, and they are working with the Canadian embassy to confirm their identities and notify next of kin.

According to Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Kendra Loney, witnesses to the crash said that the airplane did “implode on impact,” with emergency crews arriving to

“heavy flames and fire and smoke in the area.”

No one on the ground was injured and no road vehicles or infrastructure on the ground were damaged.

A section of I-40 East was shut down and reopened at approximately 2:42 a.m. while MNPD, NFD, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Nashville International Airport Police secured the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are leading the investigation.

Audio purportedly of the radio communications between the unidentified pilot and an air traffic controller recorded the plane’s final transmission in which the pilot can be heard saying, “My engine turned off. I’m at 1,600 [feet]. I’m going to be landing … I don’t know where.”

“For reasons unknown the aircraft descended and approached John C. Tune Airport and passed overhead at 2500 feet,” NTSB air safety investigator Aaron McCarter told reporters on Tuesday. “The

Bills regulating child care cost, health insurance for kids meet demise

BY HANNAH HERNER

Of Sen. Charlane Oliver’s slate of three child care-related bills, one is left standing after a Senate Health and Welfare Committee meeting Wednesday.

Two bills aimed at the Department of Human Services’ Smart Steps child care voucher program, which subsidizes the cost of care for low-income families, met their demise. Senate Bill 2207 would have reduced or eliminated copays for those making under 150 percent of the federal poverty level and capped fees at 7 percent of household income for families above the federal poverty line.

Another bill (SB2064/HB2233) would have allowed more families into the program, increasing the income ceiling to 100 percent of the state median income from 85 percent. It failed but did garner bipartisan support from Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville) and Sen. Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City).

Oliver and DHS were asked by chairperson Crowe to have a discussion outside of the committee about SB1805/ HB1962, which would require DHS to recalculate its reimbursement amounts for Smart Steps based on a cost estimation model rather than the current market rate model.

Area child care providers testified that the state’s voucher program falls short of the amount needed to keep such centers running and properly staffed.

Glen Leven Day School Executive Director Debbie Ferguson testified that 10 of her 26 employees had resigned over the past two years. As pandemic funds dry up, the school has raised tuition to account for higher costs for newly required DHS training, offering staff a living wage and benefits, and other expenses.

“I appreciate you considering this opportunity to find relief for parents,” Ferguson said. “They’re really stressed about how they’re going to pay the bills and we have no choice but to roll those costs over.”

DHS representatives testified against the bill, expressing concern that private payers, those who aren’t on the certificate

program, would be pushed out of care if the reimbursement is too high.

“The [market rate] model looks at the cost for the parent,” Oliver explained. “That cost is driven a lot by what the private provider charges. This [cost estimation] model looks at the cost for the provider and how much it takes to run the operation. The difference is the market rate study asks the providers what they are currently charging, so it is a look back and takes historical data. It does not take into account current market fluctuations, inflation, all of the things it takes to run a day care.”

Another bill (SB2063/HB2232) is also still making its way through the legislature, but was rolled two weeks on Wednesday. It would create a pilot program to study wages for child care workers.

Oliver is also proposing a new tax on transpotainment vehicles that would create a state fund to match local government funding for early childhood

An NTSB investigator photographs the charred wreckage of a single-engine plane on March 5, one day after it crashed in West Nashville beside I-40, killing five people on board. PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Sen. Charlane Oliver

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Five killed

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

pilot reported that he was going to pass over the airport at 2500 feet. Very quickly thereafter, the pilot reported a catastrophic engine loss of power...a complete loss of engine power. No emergency was declared by the pilot. However, ATC, which was in communications with the pilot, declared an emergency on the pilots behalf and offered assistance.”

The wreckage has now been collected and transported to Springfield, Tennessee, where it will be reassembled as part of the ongoing investigation, which includes

representatives of the manufacturer of the plane and its parts.

Investigators have received several security camera videos of the crash, including from the Costco which sits just feet from the crash site, and they are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has video footage of the crash to report it to the NTSB.

A preliminary crash report is expected to be made public in the next 10 days, but the final report will not be published for nine months to one year.

Advocates once again call for gun reform at the Capitol

BY MATT MASTERS

Hundreds of people representing more than 100 gun safety advocacy organizations gathered near the Tennessee State Capitol last week, calling for the passage of “common-sense gun reform” in the ongoing legislative session.

The event included representatives from Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of the Everytown for Gun Safety advocacy network. Also present were elected officials, faith leaders and victims of gun violence from across the state.

Speakers included the Rev. Aaron Marble of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church; Mothers Over Murder executive and committee member Rafiah MuhammadMcCormick, who lost her son to gun violence; Tennessee Students Demand Action volunteer and survivor of the 2022 Highland Park parade shooting Drew Spiegel; Tennessee Students Demand Action volunteer (and one of our sister publication Nashville Scene’s Nashvillians of the Year) Ibtihal Cheko; Memphis pediatric trauma surgeon Dr. Regan Williams; actor and advocate Candice King; and young Tennessean

Marco Vicencio Warbington.

Four people in attendance were family members of Cookeville High School senior Alex Brooks, who was shot and killed in October by another teen in a park. Brooks’ family is now speaking out in support of stronger gun laws, as well as launching a nonprofit mentoring program in Brooks’ memory and bringing attention to a case they argue was a miscarriage of justice.

“It took my grandson to get killed for me to take part in a demonstration like this,” Debbie Bates told the Scene. “We ought to worry about everybody’s kids, and I’m sad to say that — I’m really sad to say that — it took that long for me to do something about it.”

Despite a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly called last year by Gov. Bill Lee to ostensibly consider gun safety, virtually no meaningful legislation was passed by the state in 2023. A number of bills related to guns and public safety have been filed this session.

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

Bills regulating

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

care, though the bill (SB1907/HB2517) has yet to be heard in committee.

Also on Wednesday, Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) saw her first bill as a legislator (HB1669/SB1759) move forward in the House Health committee. It would require a child care agency to inform parents at least 60 days before it closes.

An appeal by Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) to have automatic enrollment for children on TennCare also failed Wednesday. In Tennessee, about 4.5 percent of children are uninsured, according to Vanderbilt University’s latest report.

Lamar would like to get that number to zero, with eligible children enrolled automatically and without yearly redetermination unless the child dies or moves out of the state, the enrollment was in error, the parent chooses to opt out, or the state learns that the family’s income is too high to qualify.

TennCare representatives submitted a fiscal note of $15 million, but did not express an opinion on the bill. Out of the cost, the federal government would pay $10 million.

“TennCare returned over several hundred million dollars back to the general fund for last year’s budget,” Lamar said. “It’s not a question of do we have the money? It’s more a question of all the children who are eligible to get our health care, do we want to allow them to do that? So many children are losing health care coverage due to simple paperwork issues. That is what we’re trying to solve, is to fill that gap.”

Hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans have been dropped from TennCare’s roll this year as part of the first redetermination process since 2020. The majority were due to clerical errors, regardless of eligibility.

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

Rep. Mark Green backtracks on decision to not seek reelection Incumbent Republican changes mind after call from Trump

BY ELI MOTYCKA

U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) hopes to keep his seat in Congress, recanting an announcement from two weeks ago that he wouldn’t seek reelection in Tennessee’s 7th District. Since his Valentine’s Day announcement, Green says he has received calls from constituents, colleagues and former President Donald Trump.

“I have come to realize our fight is not here within Washington, our fight is with Washington,” Green said on Feb. 14, announcing his plan to leave Congress. In a statement released Thursday, he says he will indeed seek reelection to “help President Trump end this border crisis once and for all.”

Green heads the powerful House Homeland Security Committee and spent much of the past year pushing impeachment articles for Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Trump appointed Green as Secretary of the Army in 2017, but the Clarksville Republican pulled his nomination after coming under fire for antiMuslim and anti-LGBTQ comments. He has represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, which was redrawn in 2020 to include parts of Nashville, since 2018.

Since entering Congress, Green has blocked action on climate change, opposed COVID vaccinations and refused to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory. Green briefly pursued the House speakership in October before backing far-right pugilist

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Jim Jordan of Ohio.

Green reported $433,164 on hand at the end of 2023. Former state Rep. Brandon Ogles, a Republican and cousin of U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, filed paperwork for Green’s seat earlier this month. Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry announced her candidacy in December and remains the only Democrat in the race.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and members of the Tennessee General Assembly also reached out encouraging Green to keep his seat, according to campaign manager Alex Joyner. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Scene.

Debbie Bates PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

U.S. Rep. Mark Green

English-only driver’s license bill makes its way through legislature

BY MATT MASTERS

A bill that would require all written driver’s license tests to be given only in English is making its way through the Tennessee General Assembly.

SB1717/HB1730, sponsored by Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) and Rep. Kip Capley (R-Summertown), “prohibits use of a translation dictionary, electronic device, or interpreter to assist with the examination.” The bill will be taken up by the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee on March 6.

Tennessee currently offers Class D (standard) driver’s license tests in English and Spanish. According to U.S. Census data, 68 million people spoke a non-English language at home in 2019.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland), one of the bill’s co-prime sponsors, addressed the legislation during the weekly House GOP press conference Thursday.

“It’s not just ‘stop’ or ‘yield’ or anything else,” said Lamberth. “There’s directional signs that indicate what street, which direction to turn. If you’re going to drive in this country, you need to be able to read at least basic English.”

Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) also addressed the bill on Thursday.

“I represent one of the most diverse districts in the state of Tennessee,” said Clemmons. “Probably one of the largest immigrant populations in the state of Tennessee. They deserve that accommodation [multilingual tests]. That is a blatantly discriminatory bill designed to target specific individuals, and we will not stand for it.”

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

Titans break ground on future Nissan Stadium Local leaders recognize momentous occasion for start of Eas t Bank development

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

Titans officials and local leaders donned hardhats and dug shovels into the dirt Thursday signifying the official groundbreaking of the future Nissan Stadium.

“Beneath our feet will be more than a stadium. It will be a sports sanctuary, a beacon of sports facilities and a crown jewel of the NFL,” said Cathy Bender, chair of the Metro Sports Authority Board.

Citizens will start to notice on-theground progress by April or May. According to Burke Nihill, Titans president and CEO, a full building should be visible by the 2025 season, with the interior build-out to be completed so that the future stadium can be used starting in the 2027 season.

“This stadium will be made by and made for this community,” Nihill said. “Your stadium will proudly represent the character, the soul, the diversity and the audacity of Nashville and Tennessee.”

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk told the story of how her late father, Bud Adams, moved the then-Oilers to Tennessee because of the vision he saw thenleaders offer for Nashville.

“But even with all that foresight, I don’t think my father could’ve dreamed of just how right he was,” Strunk said about how the organization quickly established its home in Nashville.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell said the groundbreaking not only was for the stadium but also represented the beginning of work to create a new East Bank. The mayor mentioned his recent filing of legislation with the Metro Council to move forward on the rest of its East Bank project, which will feature affordable housing, transportation

and a new home for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. He and others recognized the work of former mayor John Cooper and his administration.

“His team did so much work that led to this day including the important vision that will endure in Imagine East Bank, a plan that continues to drive our efforts to complement this new facility surrounded by great new urban neighborhoods,” O’Connell said.

The future stadium is expected to have a direct spending impact of $20.9 billion, with an estimated total economic impact of $33.7 billion in the Nashville economy over the next 30 years. The stadium itself will support about 4,925 annual full- and part-time jobs.

During construction alone, the stadium will create 19,000 full- and part-time jobs and will have a direct spending impact of $1.9 billion with a total economic impact

of $3 billion. Gov. Bill Lee said that the impact of the future Nissan Stadium will be felt statewide.

“It is for the fans all across this state. It is for the people that will benefit that might never even come to this stadium but will benefit from the opportunities that are created and the impact that it has on the view that the rest of the world has of our city and of our state,” Lee said.

Model of Nissan Stadium PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Tennessee State University band PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Nissan Stadium groundbreaking PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Titans president and CEO Burke Nihill

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Former WCSO deputy sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for his role in Jan 6. Insurrection

BY MATT MASTERS

A former Williamson County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputy-in-training has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

In Sept. 2023, 29-year-old Ronald Colton “Colt” McAbee, of Unionville, pleaded guilty to two charges before standing trial and being found guilty on five additional charges in Oct. 2023.

On Thursday, McAbee was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, and was also ordered to pay $32,165 in restitution.

McAbee was a deputy-in-training in WCSO’s detention division from Nov 9, 2020, to March 23, 2021.

Former Williamson County Sheriff Dusty Rhoades told The News in 2021 that McAbee had sustained an off-duty injury, which had kept McAbee on a medical leave from the department during the insurrection.

Sheriff Roades said that WCSO was later contacted by the FBI, and McAbee was arrested by federal agents in Aug. 2021.

Prosecutors pointed to a YouTube video, which can be viewed below, noting that

at the 5:35 mark the group can be seen in the huge crowd engaging in the riot which, aimed to prevent a joint session of the U.S. Congress from certifying votes in the 2020 presidential election.

McAbee was arrested along with a Michigan man as part of an ongoing investigation into five other men who “attacked police officers with a baton, crutch, flag pole and reinforced gloves” that prosecutors called “deadly and dangerous weapon[s].”

The Huffington Post reported that McAbee was chastised by the judge for displaying a “sheriff” patch as he assaulted police officers, an act that the judge called “outrageous.”

The Tennessean first reported on McAbee’s connection to WCSO and also reported that prosecutors argued in court that McAbee should be held without bail and called him a “threat to the peaceful functioning of our community.”

The report cites that, at one point, McAbee also allegedly flashed a badge to police in order to gain entrance to the Capitol.

The Tennessean also reported that before his stint with WCSO, McAbee worked as a deputy with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s

Office in Georgia.

“In the days following January 6th, McAbee expressed pride in participating in the riot.,” a DOJ news release reads. “On Jan. 7, 2021, McAbee and his associate took a photograph posing with a newspaper headline that read ‘INSURRECTION’ and featured a photograph of the standoff between law enforcement officers and rioters at the House Chamber. McAbee is smiling in the picture.”

McAbee also texted that photograph to another person, along with pictures of a head injury he sustained on Jan. 6, writing, “I’ve shed blood for my country. By the hands of the swamp. I will shed much more in the days to come. But I will not forget the Oath I swore years ago to protect the America I once knew. / necisque libertas [liberty or death].”

More than 1,313 people have been charged with crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, in an investigation that remains ongoing by the FBI.

Super Tuesday: Tennessee votes

STAFF REPORTS

Tennessee is one of several states holding its presidential primary election on March 5, known as Super Tuesday.

While the Republican and Democratic Presidential primaries seem like forgone conclusions, Nikki Haley has not bowed out of the Republican race against Donald Trump.

Locally, voters will also determine several races that include multiple challengers.

Four Democrats face off in the primary for Davidson County Circuit Court Division IV. No Republican qualified, so the winner of the primary effectively wins the August general election.

Similarly, no Republican is in the race for the Davidson County Property Assessor’s Office. So one of the two Democratic candidates in the primary will be the winner in August.

Odd-numbered Metro school board districts are also up for election. Only District 1 has multiple candidates with three Democrats and one Republican seeking the job.

Also on the ballot for Berry Hill residents, two candidates are running in a non-partisan race for city commissioner.

The News went to press on Tuesday prior to final voting results. Check back next week for full coverage of Election Day.

State’s ELVIS bill to be scheduled for floor votes

Legislation protecting voice and likeness from AI generation passed in committees

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

The Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security Act — or ELVIS Act — passed in both its state House and Senate committee meetings Tuesday.

Now, the bill heads to the calendar committees to be scheduled for its third reading on the floor.

The legislation, brought by Gov. Bill Lee, was sponsored in the House by Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland) who spoke at the Commerce Committee about its importance.

“If you hear just the first few bars of a song by Elvis, or Willie Nelson, or Dolly Parton, or any number of stars out there, you immediately know who that is,” Lamberth said. “Their voice is distinctive. It’s their art.”

The bill would make Tennessee the first state to address protections for individuals from artificial intelligence as deep fakes circle the internet and questions emerge over the seeming use of an artist’s voice in AI-

generated songs.

Emily Burrows leads Nashville-based Bass, Berry and Sims’ AI law practice and says watching these bills as they work their way through sessions across the U.S. is important for helping their clients, for example, to keep compliant in their contracts and not have to make changes every time a new law is passed.

“With all the AI regulations that are going on, the technology is changing faster than the laws are and so it’s just a matter of being realistic in what the laws say and how that impacts technology,” Burrows said. “But it’s just a matter of balancing the need for innovation, which is a great thing. And it has helped musicians and other people as well versus protecting individual rights.”

Senator Jack Johnson (D-Franklin), who sponsors the companion Senate bill, spoke about the legislation during a Policy Talks

session in Williamson County.

“There’s a lot of conversations about AI and technology and where that’s all going. Some of that is very exciting; some of it is very scary,” Johnson said.

The act would add “voice” to the protections that already exist for Tennesseans’ name, image and likeness. Some other states, such as California, do have voice protections already. However, what would be new in Tennessee’s law is the language that’s included for “an algorithm, software, tool or other technology, service or device.”

“At the core of this bill ... we’re protecting their voices from some robot somewhere or another stealing their art and then putting it out there and making money off of it,” Lamberth said.

Songwriter and recording artist Natalie Grant also spoke during the House Commerce Committee meeting.

“This is not just a problem that affects celebrities; this is a human problem that affects us all,” Grant said. “As a faith-based artist, the idea that my face and likeness could be also used in a way that opposes my beliefs and a message that I have spent the last 25 years promoting is honestly terrifying.”

Tim Estes, CEO and founder of Angel AI and co-founder of Nashville’s Innovation Studio, said that, because the technology has been so new, there have not been good guidelines to follow. Similarly, tech companies have had to extrapolate their own ideas about where the line should be from legacy legal standards.

“The AI world is having kind of its Napster moment with the New York Times suit against OpenAI,” Estes said. “We can’t expunge the idea of memory from AIs without essentially stopping progress on it because they have to have some kind of memory. What we can do is ensure commercial safeguards around what that memory can create and what that memory can be allowed to produce. And those safeguards today seem woefully inadequate.”

David Hodges, songwriter and founding member of the band Evanescence, said during the House Commerce Committee meeting that the use of technology to create unauthorized work of an artist is blatantly wrong.

“By adding the word ‘voice,’ the ELVIS act modernizes current law and makes it crystal clear that an unauthorized AIgenerated fake recording is subject to legal action in Tennessee,” Hodges said.

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

New mismanagement claims imperil Metro Arts budget

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. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com.

As artists and art organizations continue to plead for an increase to funding for the arts in Nashville, alleged overspending and financial malpractice at Metro Arts could put the meager financial support the arts do get at risk.

Metro Finance Director Kevin Crumbo

revealed on Monday that $2 million earmarked for Nashville arts organizations are in jeopardy due to the mismanagement of the department budget.

“The simple truth is the commission will not be in a position to make additional grant awards if its financial position is already headed to a deficit,” Crumbo said at a meeting of the newly formed Arts Commission Oversight Committee. “Surplus monies may be needed as part of a corrective action plan to avoid a deficit, and if so, less money will be available for grants.”

Crumbo said that he did not yet have a number for the potential deficit, but that the category that seemed most over budget was that of monies paid to consultants and contractors.

“One of the root causes of the internal audit review, the law department investigation and the additional oversight of our finance department are the reports of multiple [Metro Arts] employees who have alleged excess spending over budget, possible violations of procurement and other established financial processes and behaviors

at the highest level of management that may violate Metro’s policies governing workplace conduct,” said Crumbo.

He explained that it is still unclear if consultants and contractors were paid in a way that adheres to Metro’s rules and that he will have more information in the coming weeks. Ongoing audits and investigations by the Metro departments of law, finance and human relations continue.

Crumbo said not only is the second half of operational grant funding at risk, but also the future of Metro Arts

(L-R) Recording Industry Association of America Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier, Recording Academy Chief Advocacy and Public Policy Officer Todd Dupler, singer-songwriter Natalie Grant, Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director Alicia Warwick, and RIAA SVP of Artist and Industry Relations Jackie Krimmel Jones PHOTO BY JASON DAVIS/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE RECORDING ACADEMY

funding could be in trouble should the issues not get resolved.

“At this moment I can’t see rolling into the next fiscal year with these conditions still existing and trying to tell the taxpayers that we should fund more money for the arts when we can’t account for what we’ve actually done in this fiscal year,” Crumbo said.

SURPLUS FUNDS FREED UP, HELD UP

In January, the first half of $3.8 million in operational grant funding for Nashville arts organizations ranging from micro to large went out. The second half of that funding was on hold until it could be determined whether Metro had a surplus coming out of fiscal year 2023. That $2 million has since been freed, but not yet distributed.

“We were very intentional about wanting surplus funding to go to Metro Arts specifically,” said District 32 Councilmember Joy Styles, who chaired a specially called meeting of the Metro Council’s Public Facilities, Arts and Culture Committee on Monday, after the earlier oversight meeting. “For the funds to be held up … for artists that are waiting to receive them, is unacceptable. … The idea that we punish our creative class for what is going on with us internally after 20 years of not funding this department is just so inappropriate.”

Styles asked Metro Arts director Daniel Singh, who missed the earlier oversight meeting due to illness, to speak to the budget deficit. Singh said that he believed staff salary savings would be able to cover what was spent on consulting. But Metro Arts Finance and Operations director Christiana Afotey chimed in to say that salary savings are not allowed to be utilized for those expenses.

Metro Arts’ grant distribution formula has been the subject of ongoing controversy over the past year. The core of the problem has been the balance between funding large organizations versus small independent artists with the limited resources available, and one facet of that frustration has come from Singh spending thousands of dollars on outside consultants in order to put together those formulas.

This withholding of funds due to a deficit has increased tensions in a Nashville arts community that is well past its boiling point.

CONTROVERSY OVER CHANGE IN FORMULA

Issues first arose in July when the Metro Arts Commission voted to adopt a new funding formula that would fund Metro’s Thrive program at historic levels. Thrive grants go toward independent artists and small community-led organizations, so the idea was that this structure would bring more equity to a grant process that typically pushed the lion’s share of funding toward larger organizations such as the Frist Art Museum and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

“My understanding of what happened is that at the July meeting, there were some decisions made where race was taken as an express factor, which we believed is

unconstitutional,” Metro legal director Wally Dietz said at the Monday night Metro Council arts committee meeting. He added that he believes there is a legal precedent to back their opinion going back to 1989.

Dietz said that Metro Legal recommended ways that Metro Arts could accomplish its goals in a “race neutral” way by considering factors including size of the recipient, ZIP codes and geographic areas that the commission had typically underserved. But the commission voted on a new formula in August that largely returned to the status quo, cutting Thrive funding in half.

“We disagree with the determination that this was race-based,” said Metro Human Relations Commission director Davie Tucker.

The Metro Humans Relations Commission received multiple complaints about the past year’s events: six from artists who were supposed to receive Thrive funding, as well as a complaint about the delay in operational grant funding.

The commission has since been working on a report, to be released March 4, examining allegations of discrimination in Metro Arts. Tucker previewed the study on Monday, reporting that, since 1987, the commission has awarded approximately $61,572,329 to arts organizations in Nashville, and 71 percent of it has gone to organizations with an annual budget of $1 million or more. Tucker argues that the July formula should have been upheld.

As this debate continues on the direction of funding, arts organizations remain frustrated with the lack of answers surrounding when, if ever, they will receive the funding they rely on for their budgets.

“It’s hard for me to stand idly by when a group of employees and consultants I can count on less than one hand are making more money from taxpayer dollars than my annual organizational budget,” Nashville Shakespeare Festival executive managing director Isabel Tipton-Krispin said Monday evening. “Even though it’s their job to explain this to the people they are serving, I still don’t know basic information like how much money the Nashville Shakespeare Festival can expect this year or next.”

Tipton-Krispin explained that without this information, she can not determine how many local artists her organization can hire or how many programs it can put on. And for independent artists, the situation is even more dire.

“I just want to know why there is so much turmoil over giving small amounts of money to poor artists who want to do work,” said Elisheba Mrozik, an artist based in North Nashville. “I don’t understand any of this process, and why money is being held up in these billion-dollar cities but y’all throw money at these billion-dollar corporations to build things we don’t even need, [that] we can’t even afford to go to. It just makes no sense to me.”

Disclosure: Kevin Crumbo has donated to the Nashville Banner. Financial supporters play no role in the Banner’s journalism.

Mitch McConnell’s resignation: a shift in GOP leadership dynamics

BY BILL FREEMAN

In the ever-shifting landscape of American politics, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s recent announcement that he is stepping down from his GOP leadership position after a 17-year tenure is a momentous development. As a Democrat and a longtime businessman in Tennessee, I’ve observed McConnell’s political maneuvers with a nuanced perspective. It speaks to McConnell’s strategic skill that even individuals with opposing political views can recognize his impact, though even he admits he is not without his faults.

McConnell’s decision to step down reflects a change in the Republican Party’s beliefs. As recently reported by the Associated Press, “His decision punctuates a powerful ideological transition underway in the Republican Party, from Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and strong international alliances, to the fiery, often isolationist populism of former

President Donald Trump.” It is likely not easy to keep the party together when everyone is headed in different directions.

Despite being a staunch Republican, McConnell has exhibited a knack for reaching across the aisle when necessary. His collaboration with President Biden on various legislative initiatives reflects the art of compromise in the Senate. The same AP article notes President Biden’s acknowledgment that the two “fight like hell,” but that he recognizes McConnell has “never misrepresented anything.” Biden also said he trusted McConnell.

I cannot say I am an avid fan of McConnell’s, but I do find it noteworthy that he took a principled stand against Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. In a time when loyalty to party often trumps integrity, McConnell’s refusal to endorse the voter fraud theory spoke volumes. But his stance has not come without

consequences, as McConnell weathered criticism and hostility from within his own party when he showed his priorities to be the interests of the American people over partisan rhetoric. McConnell condemned Trump after the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. So I have to give McConnell at least some credit — for basic common sense if nothing else.

McConnell’s decision to step down was accompanied by reflection on his long and impactful career. He has noted that the recent loss of his wife’s sister prompted introspection. Even seasoned politicians grapple with personal moments that elicit significant life decisions. “The end of my contributions are closer than I’d prefer,” McConnell said, adding that he’ll remain in the Senate until the end of his term — “albeit from a different seat in the chamber.” In the wake of McConnell’s announcement, tributes have poured in from both sides of the aisle.

As a Democrat, I find myself appreciating McConnell’s role in steering the Republican Party through significant policy initiatives, particularly during Trump’s presidency. From remaking the Supreme Court to pushing tax legislation, McConnell has left an indelible mark on judiciary and economic policies. His tenacity in securing Republican votes for critical bipartisan packages, such as aid for Ukraine, shows a leader who prioritizes national interests over party divisions.

Although some may have been surprised by McConnell’s announcement, I believe his decision to step down aligns with the norm for leaders his age (82). His resilience and influence, however, do stand out, and he’s had an exceptional career — one that isn’t over yet. As he eloquently put it, “I still have enough gas in the tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics, and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm with which they have become accustomed.”

McConnell’s departure as Senate minority leader marks the end of an era, but it also serves as a reminder of the importance of statesmanship and integrity in the realm of American politics. In addition to being the longest-serving Senate GOP leader, McConnell has been the longest-serving senator from Kentucky. “To serve Kentucky in the Senate has been the honor of my life,” he recently said, “to lead my Republican colleagues has been the highest privilege.”

May all our political leaders remember that serving is a privilege. It’s an opportunity to introduce change, value

and growth. Further, may all of us, as fortunate residents of this beautiful country, take whatever opportunities come our way to serve those around us to the best of our abilities — and to the betterment of America.

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.

Sen. Mitch McConnell PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. CONGRESS

RECENT MEETING AT BELMONT

RE PROPOSED BL2024-185 AND BL2024-186

As one who tried to attend the recent open public meeting at Belmont Univ. McWhorter Hall, regarding proposed rezoning changes seeking to eliminate single family dwelling neighborhoods, I, along with numerous others, was barred at the door for lack of space. The venue retained was nowhere near large enough to accommodate the vast number of Nashville citizens who came out to voice opposition to these ill-advised bills. What a farce! What poor planning by at-large Council Member Quin Evans Segall , the sponsor of these proposed bills. For those who got to attend, it sounds like it was a waste of time anyway. It was reported in the local news that while CM Evans Segall responded to written questions apparently she did not take questions from the floor and many attendees did not believe their voices were heard.

One wonders if CM Evans Segall really was interested to hear from or respond to those opposing her views seeking to terminate single family home neighborhoods as it was reported she ended the public meeting early

after “chaos erupted.” Failure to listen or respond to constituents is no way to treat them and one can be certain that voters will not forget how CM Evans Segall dealt with them at this meeting.

OPEN GOVERNMENT IN NASHVILLE

Again Tax payers’ money is being spent and no one knows how much the Sporting events and venues will cost until it’s a “Done Deal”. WHY

PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS

NO! NO! NO!, I do not want my Tax Dollars to go toward Gov. Lee’s plan to pay for Private Schools funding. And the Governors rise into higher politics. ALL those Republicans in the State Senate need to be replaced they are also in the pocket of Gov Lee. The corrupt Tenn. government is on full display. It seems they are being “Outed” by TV investigative reporters, GOOD, IT’S ABOUT TIME!

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

Tim Jester ends House campaign

BY ELI MOTYCKA

Financial planner Tim Jester filed paperwork to run in Tennessee House District 60’s Democratic primary just weeks ago. On Monday, he announced that he will back out before the race has begun, citing an abrupt decision by a new professional body that oversees his securities licenses.

Individuals with securities licenses require approval for certain financial pursuits, from gig work to holding elected office. Woodbury Financial, the broker-dealer that oversees Jester’s license, initially ruled on his candidacy as an approved “outside business activity.” When national wealth manager OSAIC bought Woodbury, OSAIC regulators pulled approval for Jester’s situation. New regulators cited the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “payto-play” rule, which prohibits investment advisers from exchanging financial advice for

receiving government compensation.

“They told me my campaign wasn’t allowed and that there are representatives currently with OSAIC that wouldn’t be allowed to run in the future,” Jester tells the Scene. “While I have a hard time seeing how the rule applies here, that’s the language they used.”

House members receive a small yearly stipend and discuss financial matters related to bills and government functions. Such an arrangement could be construed as prohibited activity under pay-to-play, Jester says.

In a statement posted to X, Jester told supporters he was “devastated” and would return campaign contributions. Jester was poised to take on gun control advocate Shaundelle Brooks in the Democratic primary. Democrat Darren Jernigan has represented the district, a slice of east Davidson County that includes Donelson

and Hermitage, since 2012. Jernigan moved to the mayor’s office this year as a city-state liaison and will not seek reelection.

Jester has voted in recent Democratic and Republican primaries. His history reflects an independent streak that Jester hoped would help him win Davidson County’s only purple House seat.

“I’m one of the millions of disaffected Americans who finds myself in the Democratic Party because the Republican Party has gone off the rails,” Jester tells the Scene. “My voting record indicates I’m independent, but the ballot I cast in the March primary gives me the three primary votes I need to qualify to run.”

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

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Ex-Nashville vice mayor named Cumberland interim dean

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Jim Shulman PHOTO BY DANIEL MEIGS

been named interim dean of the Cumberland University Labry School of Science, Technology and Business.

A release notes Shulman will assume the role at the Lebanon-based university at the spring semester’s conclusion. He will replace Dean Chris Fuller, who has accepted a new position at Cumberland as a data scientist and professor of mathematics and computer science.

The move follows Shulman’s having joined Cumberland’s faculty a year ago as

an assistant professor focused on political science instruction, according to a release. It also comes as Shulman in late 2022 stepped down as CEO of Safe Haven, a nonprofit focused on ending family homelessness, related to workplace concerns that staffers voiced about his leadership.

Shulman served as vice mayor from 2018 to 2023 before losing in his bid for re-election last year to Angie Henderson. Prior to that, he served as an at-large councilmember and, previously, as the District 25 councilmember.

Shulman has served as executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, chief of staff to Tennessee Speaker of the House and legal counsel for the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration.

Shulman holds both an undergraduate degree and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence degree from Vanderbilt University.

Cumberland President Paul Stumb said he is confident that the transition process within the dean’s office will be “seamless, setting the stage for continued success for the Labry School of Science, Technology and Business.”

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

Vanderbilt raises pay floor for graduate students

BY ELI MOTYCKA

Vanderbilt University announced an increase in some student stipends on Monday as campus unionization efforts reach a crescendo. Earlier this month, graduate students rallied for a union that would deliver federal labor protections and collective bargaining to an estimated 2,000 student-employees.

According to a press release from Vanderbilt, stipend increases will affect some 1,900 Ph.D. students, which will bring annual pay between $34,000 and $38,000 starting in the 2024-2025 academic year. Nashville’s median household income was $71,328 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“In response to the insightful data presented by the Graduate Student Council, the deans and I were able to find creative solutions during this budget cycle that allow us to continue to enhance our support of all doctoral students, beginning in the next fiscal year,” says provost C. Cybele Raver in a written statement.

Graduate student stipends currently range from $28,000 to $38,000, according to students, with students at Vanderbilt’s Peabody School of Education receiving the lowest annual pay. Students at the College of Arts & Sciences receive stipends in the middle of that range. The biggest annual

stipends go to students studying engineering and the biomedical sciences. Recently announced increases will not bump up the top of the pay scale.

Vanderbilt administrators cite a recent “listening tour” and presentations from leaders of the graduate student council, a campus representative body, for their decision to raise pay. Union advocates consider the raises long overdue and evidence that organizing has put pressure on administrators to improve campus working conditions. Princeton University brought graduate stipends between $47,880 and $50,400 last year amid unionization efforts on campus.

Students are still collecting union cards, which could trigger a union vote overseen by the National Labor Relations Board. Peabody students lead other departments in signed cards, signaling strong support where students are paid the least.

“I think it is a great example of how effective organizing is,” Kelly Cunningham, co-president of Graduate Student Workers United, tells the Scene. “Peabody students saw the largest jump — over $5K — and they are the first college to reach a supermajority.”

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

Tim Jester PHOTO SUBMITTED

Former Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman has

Five free and cheap family things to do in Middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

Metro Nashville Public Schools heads into spring break this weekend, and there are plenty of events to get into the spirit the week off. Take a day trip up to Castalian Springs to celebrate all things Irish. Go get a head start on Easter with two different hunts in different spots in Middle Tennessee. There’s a chance to discover the world at Lakeshore Learning Center and then a yoga class for the smaller kiddos down in Smyrna.

As part of our series on free cheap things to do with the family, here is our weekly roundup of places to spend time together over the next week:

2024 COUNTY SUMNER IRISH FESTIVAL

The County Sumner Irish Festival at Bledsoe’s Fort Historical Park in Castalian Springs is home to an Irish cottage built by

Hugh Rogan in the late 1790s. The festival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, happens on the grounds where there’s also a historic trail that runs alongside a settler cemetery and remnants of a 19thcentury spring house. The festival includes hikes and storytelling around the site. There’ll be live music, dancing, food as well as a costume contest and prizes. Pets are also invited, and the cost is $15 per carload.

EASTER EGG HUNT & BUNNY PHOTOS

The Charlotte Park Youth Athletic Association is hosting an Easter egg hunt and photos with the Easter bunny on March 9. Families can come and win door prizes, and there will be food vendors as well as inflatables. Each child will receive a ticket and be registered to win one of the door prizes, which will be given out after the egg hunts. The first hunt begins at 1 p.m.

FREE KIDS EVENT: LAKESHORE’S WORLD OF DISCOVERY

Grab your passport and explore the big, wonderful world at Lakeshore’s World of Discovery on March 9. Kids are invited to

create a craft, enjoy storytime, learn about the places people live and explore animals in the places they live. Kids will earn passport stamp stickers along the way. The event is for children above 3 years old and takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

EASTER EGG HUNT AT DON FOX PARK

Don Fox Park in Lebanon is a beautiful park, and this year it is slated to host its first Easter egg hunt on March 9 from 2-4 p.m. The event will feature face painting, snacks, drinks and giveaways. The event is for kids up to 12 years old.

KID’S YOGA

The Smyrna Public Library is hosting a 30-minute kid’s yoga class with instructor Ms. Jacy on March 6 at 10 a.m. Attendees can bring their own mats or the library will provide one for those who don’t have one. The library is also planning another 30-minute yoga class for the little ones on March 20.

SWEET & SAVORY FOODS

A GOURMET MARKET OF LOCALLY MADE PROVISIONS FEATURING DOZENS OF MUSIC CITY-BASED FOOD VENDORS.

CRAFT COCKTAILS, BEER & WINE

CHEF DEMOS

CONNECT WITH LOCAL FOOD CREATIVES

APRIL 6 • ONEC1TY 11AM - 4PM

FREE TO ATTEND!

It’s back! Shop from dozens of Music City-based food vendors selling items like hand blended teas, delicious pastas, hot sauces, jellies, jams and honeys. Try gourmet treats like milkshakes, stacked sandwiches and cheeses. No matter if you prefer savory or sweet, we'll have a vendor for every palette! Discover delicious foods and drinks, purchase thoughtful gifts and top-quality products from a lineup of artisans you won’t find anywhere else.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS OPEN

For more information and to apply as a vendor, visit

NASHVILLE FOOD FAIRE . COM

LIVE MUSIC

TOP QUALITY PRODUCTS FOOD,

Tennessee to consider 18 bills targeting LGBTQ rights

BY ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ

At a Monday virtual press conference, activists and state Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) criticized a slate of bills set for hearings this week that target the rights of the LGBTQ community, ban books and undermine diversity and inclusion efforts at public colleges and universities.

“My community is exhausted and brokenhearted at being the target of attacks from legislation year after year,” said TaMesha Kaye Prewitt, the transgender service manager of OUTMemphis, an LGBTQ advocacy organization.

Prewitt said Monday she has seen firsthand the harm these laws inflict on the community, describing how last year’s law to ban changes to gender on identifying documents like driver’s licenses sparked a long and costly scramble to help members of the trans community with their IDs.

Molly Quinn, executive director of

OUTMemphis, said her organization has seen three times as many requests for emergency services like housing and mental health interventions as in previous years. Students are also reporting discrimination in higher numbers.

Quinn also spoke on Senate Bill 2396, which would require clinics receiving state funds that provide gender-affirming care to also offer “de-transitioning procedures” to reverse such care. It also calls on those clinics to report all statistics to the state.

“This gets into state surveillance of gender-affirming care, which translates to state surveillance of transgender people,” said Quinn. “I think anyone who lives in Tennessee could understand what it might feel like for the government to have access to your medical information based on being a minority.”

Also on the watch list is a bill to

The Heart of the Story

dissolve the Human Rights Commission (which protects the rights of marginalized communities) and transfer it to the attorney general’s office, bills to ban library books over sexual content (explicit, implied or alluded to) and a bill that would recognize common-law marriage only between a man and a woman.

Not all bills appear to be explicitly discriminatory at first. A bill to restrict minors’ access to social media, for example, is on the watch list due to concerns that antiLGBTQ amendments could be added. And laws similar to Tennessee’s proposed parents’ bill of rights have led to book bans elsewhere.

The roster of bills contributes to Tennessee’s unfortunate distinction as a leader in anti-LGBTQ legislation.

“Tennessee has led the way on every discriminatory trend,” said Molly Whitehorn of the Human Rights Campaign. “It has

passed more anti-LGBTQ+ laws than any other state, with more than a dozen passed since 2015.”

“It’s hard to be on the House floor and see people talking about banning Pride flags, but not talk about banning assault weapons, which are killing children across our state and across our country,” said Pearson, who last year was expelled over an anti-gun protest on the House floor.

The first two bills on the watch list, HB1660 and HB1948, target colleges’ and universities’ ability to create offices for diversity, equity and inclusion. In Monday’s Higher Education Subcommittee, the former was deferred to next week’s and the latter failed.

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

Studio Tenn presents Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘Driving Miss Daisy’

BY AMY STUMPF L

Alfred Uhry’s Driving Miss Daisy was hailed as an instant classic when it first premiered off-Broadway in 1987. The heartwarming drama – which follows the unlikely friendship of an elderly Jewish woman and her Black chauffeur in midcentury Atlanta – won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and would later be adapted as an Academy Award-winning film starring Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman and Dan Aykroyd.

Based on the experiences of Uhry’s own grandmother, the play takes on big themes of racial prejudice and injustice, anti-Semitism, aging and more. But at its heart, Driving Miss Daisy –which opens at Studio Tenn Theatre Company on March 7 – is really a simple story about the transformative power of friendship.

“It’s such an intimate piece of theater, and so well known,” said Beki Baker, who is directing the production. “A lot of people are, of course, familiar with the film, so there’s a real nostalgia to the piece. And I’m sure there will be people in the audience who are mouthing the lines along with us. But our job is to focus on the text, to honor the words written by Alfred Uhry. This play is so beautifully written, and it really speaks to modern audiences. It’s all about different communities colliding, but on a very intimate scope. It’s about friendship, but it’s also asking tough questions about what we can learn from each other – even as we age. How do we continue to expand and learn and be changed?”

Baker says she is happy to be back working with Studio Tenn, having directed Steel Magnolias for the company in 2020. And she’s especially looking forward to working in the new Turner Theater.

“I’m so excited to be in the Turner Theater,” she said. “It’s a lovely, intimate space that feels just right for this play. We have a wonderful design team – Matt Logan is doing the costumes, so you know they’re going to be gorgeous. Andrew Cohen is doing the set, and he’s such a thoughtful designer. But with a play like this, you want to keep things rather simple. So the set will be evocative of this world, while supporting the actors’ work.”

Baker has assembled a terrific cast, including Nashville favorites Rona Carter as Daisy Werthan, Bakari King as Hoke Colburn, and Eric D. Pasto-Crosby as Daisy’s son, Boolie Werthan.

“These actors are so incredibly finetuned,” Baker said. “They’re all really skilled at playing realism, but they also understand humor and timing, and how to approach those little comedic moments. They know how to let the story breath and morph, so it’s going to be exciting for audiences to have these three masters at work on that stage every night.”

Carter calls the part of Daisy Werthan a true bucket-list role.

“It’s just so well written,” said Carter, who has performed locally with Nashville Repertory Theatre, Nashville Children’s

Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Nashville Story Garden and Rabbit Room Productions. “This play looks at a lot of the things going on in our own lives – and in our society – today. And at a time when so many shows rely on big flashy design, I love that this one is all about the storytelling. It’s just three people, whose lives are intertwined in this incredible tapestry. And all those little moments and conversations work together to create a beautiful piece of theater with so much heart.

“I’ve been in this profession since I was 18,” she added. “But lately, I’ve been struck by how much more immediate it feels to

be on that stage. Maybe it’s my age, or my life experience, but I feel like acting is a bit richer for me these days. I’ve always been so affected by the theater, as a way to process what’s happening in my life and in the world around me. There’s such value in that, and I feel honored that I get to do this work and to help tell this story.”

Driving Miss Daisy runs March 7-24 at The Turner Theater, in the Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd. For complete details and ticket information, visit www. studiotenn.org/driving-miss-daisy.

Driving Miss Daisy PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDIO TENN

SPORTS

Former Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck to serve as Ensworth’s offensive coordinator

BY JOHN GLENNON

Brothers Tim and Matt Hasselbeck have been high-school teammates, college teammates and ESPN teammates over the years.

Starting this year, they’ll take on a new challenge together at Nashville’s Ensworth High.

Tim Hasselbeck has named Matt Hasselbeck, a 17-year NFL veteran who spent two seasons as the Titans’ quarterback, as the Ensworth football program’s offensive coordinator. Tim had been named the school’s head coach in December, taking over from Roc Batten, who spent five years coaching the Tigers.

“Things like this don’t typically happen in life,” Tim told the Post on Monday. “He’s a guy who played quarterback for a lot of years in the NFL. And he’s an amazing guy, with an amazing personality, and an amazing way of connecting with everybody in building. That’s who he is. He’s great like that. It’s an incredible thing.”

Matt will soon be moving back to

Nashville from Massachusetts, where he had served as quarterbacks coach for Xaverian Brothers High for the last two years. Matt’s son, Henry, was the starting quarterback there last year, and the school won a state championship. Henry Hasselbeck is headed to UCLA on scholarship this year.

Matt spent two years with the Titans, guiding Tennessee to a 9-7 record and throwing for more than 3,500 yards in 2012. He lost the starting job to Jake Locker in 2013, but still wound up playing in eight games — going 2-3 as a starter.

Overall in his NFL career, Matt played for four teams, throwing for 36,638 yards and 212 touchdowns. He had an 85-75 record as a starter, with an 82.4 quarterback rating.

Matt, 48, will serve as Ensworth’s playcaller, but he said he will have no problem taking orders from the head coach, even if it happens to be his little brother.

“Listen, here’s why I’m okay with it,” Matt said. “I’ve always felt that Tim would

be an amazing coach. When I was playing, I would get on the bus after a game, and Tim was usually my first phone call. I’d send my wife a text saying what my health status was. But Tim was always my first break-it-down phone call, someone I’ve always trusted.

“When we’ve been talking offense, defense, quarterback play, I think he’s done an amazing job for many, many years at ESPN. It’s really given him a behindthe-curtain look at what some of the top coaches in college football have been doing for a long time. So in this case, I’m looking forward to it. I think he’s going to do a great job. I’m on board and I’m excited and I’m very, very proud to be working for the new head coach.”

Tim, 45, joked that he doesn’t expect any brotherly sideline squabbles with Matt, but knew how to solve any issues that might arise between the two.

“He and I work so well together that that type of thing will never be an issue between

us,” Tim said. “If it is, I’m sure my mom will come downstairs, grab one of us by the ear and tell us to knock it off.”

Matt, who will start working with Ensworth’s players in the spring and summer, said he was already looking at offensive diagrams on his whiteboard while talking on the phone Monday. He said he and Tim have been in frequent contact, piecing together the plan for Ensworth’s offense.

“I want everything to be as simple as possible so the kids can have fun and play fast,” Matt said. “That’s what I always wanted as a player. I obviously wanted great coaching, but I wanted it to be simple and I don’t need to prove how smart I am. What I need to do is let these kids play free and have fun. We’re trying to do all the hard work now, so they can do that.”

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

Cambridge’s super senior day sends Vandy women into SEC Tournament with momentum

Nashville native, Ensworth High grad posts career milestones in win over Georgia

BY JOHN GLENNON

Thanks in part to Nashville’s Jordyn Cambridge, the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team will head into this week’s SEC Tournament with plenty of momentum.

The Ensworth High alum had a senior day for the ages on Sunday, reaching two significant milestones during the Commodores’ 72-55 win over Georgia at Memorial Gymnasium.

It was an impressive way to close out the regular season for Vanderbilt (22-8, 9-7), which posted its first winning record in the conference since the 2012-13 season. The Commodores, winners of five of their last six games, have already recorded their most overall victories since they won 23 in 2011-12.

The Commodores are shooting for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 201314, but may need a win or two in the SEC Tournament to nail down that invitation. Vanderbilt is seeded sixth in the SEC Tournament and will open play Thursday against the winner of the Florida-Missouri game. The ‘Dores have a NET ranking of 56.

Cambridge put together a memorable 1:35 stretch spanning the third and fourth quarters, as the 5-9 guard >>

Jordyn Cambridge PHOTO COURTESY OF VANDERBILT ATHLETICS

collected her 1,000th career point on a threepointer to close out the third quarter and set the school record for steals by intercepting a pass just 95 seconds later.

“Today was really special,” Cambridge told media. “For it to happen on our Senior Day is amazing. It’s bittersweet, because I’m glad we got the win, but it’s my last time playing at Memorial Gym. I’m glad I got to share these special moments with my team and family.”

Cambridge finished with nine points, giving her 1,006 for her career. Her five

steals gave her a career mark of 341, topping the previous school record of 338 held by Deborah Denton (1986-89).

She became the first Vanderbilt women’s player to collect at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 300 steals.

“I love to see players reach any milestone,” Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph said. “As a coach, you love seeing players reach their dreams and maximize their potential. For Jordyn, this is something she is going to remember for the rest of her life. She and her family will be telling

stories from this day for the rest of their lives. Those are core memories we get to be a part of, and I’m a big believer in the universe making things right for people who deserve it.”

Cambridge, who is averaging 12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists for Vanderbilt, had connected on just eight-of-42 shots from the field in her three previous games. But that may have made senior day all the more special.

“I told Jordyn after the game, that’s why she hasn’t made a bucket in the last three

games, because she was meant to have those moments here at home on her senior day in front of her family and friends,” Ralph said. “This program would not be where it is today without Jordyn Cambridge. It is hard to put into words what it means to have Jordyn here for her sixth year, and to experience what she did today is an honor and a blessing.”

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

BA, CPA, Goodpasture, PCA, more compete for Division II basketball state championships

BY LOGAN BUTTS

The Division II basketball state championships took place at Tennessee Tech’s Eblen Center in Cookeville last weekend. Several local teams competed in the final four of the four DII divisions. Read below for the results.

BOYS DIVISION II-AA

The Brentwood Academy (25-8) boys basketball team fell just short of its quest for back-to-back state championships on Saturday with an 80-71 loss to Briarcrest (314) in the Division II-AA state title game at Tennessee Tech’s Eblen Center in Cookeville.

The Eagles defeated BCS 63-52 in last season’s championship game, but they were unable to overcome an impressive old-school offensive performance from the Saints who scored 46 points in the paint and attempted just four total 3-pointers.

Reigning Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball finalist Tyler Tanner, a Vanderbilt commit, led the Eagles with 22 points (on 7-19 shooting) and six assists in his final game for BA.

Junior George MacIntyre, a 5-star quarterback who committed to Tennessee football in January, notched 21 points on 7-13 shooting, including 5-6 from 3-point range, before fouling out late in the game. Briarcrest was paced by sophomore Fred Smith who collected game-highs in points with 29 (on an efficient 12-14 shooting performance) and rebounds with 15 while adding a team-best three assists and one block. Cooper Haynes, a Mr. Basketball finalist and Belmont signee, added 24 points on 7-11 shooting and a 9-10 mark from the free-throw line.

Smith was named tournament MVP. He was joined by teammates Haynes and Jackson Grisham, Eagles Tanner and MacIntyre, Pope Prep’s Fred Bailey, and Knoxville Webb’s Jackson Pompey on the all-tournament team.

It was the 15th championship game

appearance for Brentwood Academy and the ninth for BCS, which will be taking home its third “Golden Ball.”

In the semifinals, Brentwood Academy defeated to Knoxville Webb 63-48.

Tanner scored a game-high 36 points on 13-22 shooting, including 5-10 from 3-point range, and added team-highs with seven rebounds and three assists.

MacIntyre notched 10 points, seven rebounds, and a steal. Pompey paced Knoxville Webb (24-5) with 17 points and four rebounds.

BCS took down Pope Prep (26-5) in the other semifinal 76-53. Haynes scored a game-high 21 points, while Bailey, a Trevecca commit, notched 17.

GIRLS DIVISION II-AA

Knoxville Catholic (28-5) easily handled Knoxville Webb (21-9) in the championship game, winning 53-39. Sydney Mains, a Miss Basketball finalist and Florida Atlantic commit, was named tournament MVP after notching 16 points and five rebounds.

In the semifinals, Christ Presbyterian Academy (18-13) fell to Knoxville Catholic 45-40. The loss ended an impressive postseason run that saw the Lions, originally the 5-seed in the Middle Region tournament, fall just one win short of the state championship game.

Sophomore Lilly Morrow paced CPA with 17 points on 7-15 shooting. She was named to the all-tournament team. Lucy Haywood led the team with five rebounds, while Merli Routh dished out a team-high six assists.

Mains led Knoxville Catholic with 18 points and four rebounds.

BOYS DIVISION II-A

Providence Christian Academy (295) defeated ECS in the semifinals 54-40, but fell to FACS (27-3) 57-55 in the championship game.

Three Crusaders finished in doublefigures: Marcellous Jackson (19), tournament MVP M.J. Hayes (15), and Kristopher Carrol (11). Judson Bjornstad led PCA with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. Aiden Bolden added 15 points and seven rebounds. All five, as well as PCA’s Preston Wade, were named to the all-tournament team.

GIRLS DIVISION II-A

Goodpasture (25-4) battled hard in the championship game against University School of Jackosn (23-5), but ran out of gas in triple overtime, falling 70-58.

USJ’s Haylen Ayers, the third-ranked player in the nation in the Class of 2027 and

a Miss Basketball finalist, collected 30 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and one block to win tournament MVP honors.

Goodpasture was led by Ona Hawkins (19 points, three rebounds, four steals) and Brooklyn Jones (18 points, three rebounds, two steals).

In the semifinals, GCS took care of King’s Academy 58-47. Jones, Hawkins, and teammate Addi Ruffin were named to the all-tournament team.

CPA girls basketball PHOTO BY JOHN WILKINSON III

Tuna Poke

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

Poké in Hawaiian means to slice or cut into pieces; typically, a fish product,” says Chef Jerry Cline of Aloha Fish Co.

The soy, sesame, ginger flavor of the tuna is great eaten with chopsticks and rice,

ACROSS

1 Seize

but also served with plantain or vegetable chips. Get high quality sushi grade tuna for this dish from locally owned and operated Aloha Fish Co.

6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 pound raw ahi Hawaiian tuna, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 cup diced sweet onion

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1-2 teaspoons roasted white or black sesame seeds

1. Mix ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add sea salt to taste.

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sriracha sea salt

2. Cover and refrigerate up to one hour until ready to eat.

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.

6 Alternative to “swipe” for a credit card

9 Pizazz

14 Word with life or screen

15 One of the Manning brothers

16 Measurement on an electric meter

17 Fly the coop

19 Spanish restaurant fare

20 Prepared to fight Goliath?

22 Scheming

23 Like the numerals 1, 2 and 3

27 Dutch beer named for a river

31 ___-chic

33 “I’m ___ Boat” (Lonely Island song)

34 Practiced changing one’s costume by the clock?

36 The Cowboys and Cowgir ls of the N.C.A.A.

37 Private university of North Carolina

38 Leader who was the author of “On Protracted War”

39 F irst murder victim

40 Common wine barrel material

41 Invested on Broadway, say?

45 Ar ticle in Le Monde

46 Taking off

47 Earmarks

48 Matchbox, e.g.

50 NBC staple since 1975, in brief

51 Betrayed Paddington? … or what 20-, 34- and 41-Across did in this puzzle

58 Arm bones

61 Something you shouldn’t take lying down?

62 Philly school

63 In which the pinky and thumb pointing out represents Y, in brief

64 Like a cemeter y at night, maybe

EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ NO. 0131

65 ___ Popovich, longtime coach for the Spurs

66 Turndowns

67 Latin dance

DOWN

1 It’s written as “C.C.C.P.” in Cyrillic

2 Japanese rice wine

3 Pupil’s place

4 Chris formerly of 50-Across

5 Gave positive reinforcement

6 Old presidential nickname

7 Penne ___ vodka

8 Spot from which to say “bon voyage”

9 Protr uding feature on a cliff

10 Tennis star Naomi

11 Hiker’s aid

12 Spor ts org. with an annual championship on the weekend before Memorial Day

13 “___ So Shy” (1980 Pointer Sisters hit)

18 Actress Reese of “Touched by an Angel”

21 Waikiki locale

24 Owie

25 Ad section in a newspaper, maybe

26 Seals, in a way

27 Dined at a restaurant

28 City in which to see “Il Cenacolo” (“The Last Supper”)

29 Motown legend Robinson

30 Perfect score, often

31 Prominent par ts of toucans

32 Plains tribe

35 Sonoma and Yukon

39 Leatherwor ker’s tool

41 Extra-loud, as a loudspeaker

42 Prefix with nautical

43 F ine partner?

44 Audience for which a G-rated film is appropriate

49 Keeping in the loop, in a way

50 Unloads, so to speak

52 Bridge

53 Meh

54 La ___ Tar Pits

55 Rank associated with tea and sandwiches?

56 Honeybees’ genus

57 Large flightless bird

58 Toupee, slangily

59 Borrower’s concern, for short

60 Poor grade

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

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

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

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/ studentcrosswords.

PUZZLE BY NATHAN HALE

SOCIAL

Ballet Ball

BY BRENDA BATEY PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

The 35th annual Ballet Ball, co-chaired by Evelyn Cate Galletti, Bob Deal and Jason Bradshaw, was nothing less than a triumph.

Amy Joyner served as honorary chair, and it was the inaugural year for Nick Mullikin, the new artistic director and CEO of the Nashville Ballet.

After cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the lobby of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, guests entered the concert hall, which had been converted to a spacious area for the seated dinner.

The decor, by event designer Bruce Pittman, featured the colors coral and jade, which are also the gifts appropriate for a 35th wedding anniversary. There was an Asian twist, using bamboo, orchids, branches of pink flowering quince, and dozens of white pillar candles. Floral arrangements were by Forget Me Not Designs.

To welcome everyone to the ballroom, Brian Charles Rooney took the stage and shared his incredible voice with the appreciative crowd.

Later in the evening, “Crazy Hearts” was presented with choreography by Mullikin, music by Dean, costume design by Mycah Kennedy, and performers Lily Saito and James Lankford. Nashville Ballet company dancers performed choreography by Mullikin and Rehearsal Director Travis Bradley.

Acclaimed American pop and country singer Cassadee Pope performed “Wasting All These Tears” and other hits.

Pope is a multi-platinum selling singersongwriter and winner of season three of the popular TV show “The Voice.”

When guests arrived, they enjoyed passed appetizers including Chicken Yakitori with

tare glaze, seared tuna on wontons with lemon ginger sauce, and avocado tartines with cream cheese and sweet chile.

Premier caterer Kristen Winston provided one of the best dinners ever, beginning with a spring greens salad, strawberries, Mandarin oranges, sweet peppers, feta, spiced almonds, crispy wontons, and sesame vinaigrette.

Black Angus filet of beef was the entrée, served with Gruyere-Parmesan potato gratin, asparagus tips, heirloom carrots, and wild mushrooms.

To end the meal on a high note, everyone received delicious individual dark chocolate cakes, with cherry coulis, cherry ice cream, and pink sugar clouds.

Dinner wines, compliments of Lipman Brothers, Inc., were La Chiara Gavi di Gavi and Perrin Côtes du Rhône.

Marian Ott, Craig Philip, Kim Hewell, and Norm Scarborough

Melinda Dobson and Tom Parrish

Belinda Berry and Thomas Barrett

Todd and Sharon Sandahl

Ballet Ball Co-chairs Bob Deal, Evelyn Cate Galletti, and Jason Bradshaw

Audrey Sanborn, Frances Cate, Lawrence Luckey, and Liz McNamee

Rachel and Russell Swanson

Keith and Nancy Gregg

Rachel Robinson, Rhodes Bagot, and Hugh and Robinette Gaston

Genevieve Parkes, and Eleanor and Tom Warriner

Tracy Wade, Marci Houff, Emily Humphreys, and Mary Morgan and Paul Ketchel

Sandra and Larry Lipman

Ian Bratton, Kyle Langford, and Melanie McBurney

Vivian Rubin, Owen Joyner, and Honorary Chair Amy Joyner

Kayla Walker, Hunter McCloud, and Tammy Walker

Allen DeCuyper, Alicia Nattice, Cathy Walker, and Steve Sirls

Geary Leathers, Morel Enoch Harvey, and Shari and Red Martin

Julie Schneider, Nick Mullikin, and Mary Polley

Meera Ballal, Heather Thorne, and Elizabeth Fillay

404

rent/lease

THE GREEN HILLS APARTMENTS

One bedroom & studio apartments available starting at $650 per month. Must be and older and live independently.

is no longer just for retired teachers. All seniors 62 and older may apply with no fee. Efficiencies start at $500 which includes utilities.

One bedroom & studio apartments available starting at $625 per month. Must be 62 and older and live independently.

615-297-7536

greenhillsapts@comcast.net

CeMetery lots

two Cemetery lots for sale at Woodlawn Cemetery near Chapel. Lots in area sell for $8,000. Will sale each for $7,000 and will pay the transfer fee, $465.

CleaninG svCs.

Residential Cleaning

Where Quality & Respect Come First!

www.lighthousecleaningservice.net

(615) 957-7661

Licensed, Insured & Bonded

ConCrete/Masonry

P & t Concrete Driveways - Sidewalks - Patios

Landscaping, Mulch and Bobcat Work. Free Estimates

Richard’s Cell: 1 (615) 670-2273

ConCrete/Masonry

KEN R. FRYE CONCRETE

ConCrete/Masonry

HistoriC CeMetery

Repair & Restoration

BRICK & STONE

Walls • Steps • Walks • Etc. Build • Repair • Restore

Tuck Pointwork

r.

Bonded & Insured rooFinG

providing consistent quality care. Licenced, Insured and background checked. Give us a call to discuss your future care needs.

SOS Serving

New

eleCtriCian

Hardwood

CASH

For

•

Goodfred

•

Licensed & Insured Call Eric for a Free Estimate (615) 779-1870 WanteD

WiCKer rePair all seasons Window Cleaning Specializing in residential windows. Serving Nashville over 38 yrs! Licensed - Bonded - Insured Free Estimates Low Prices (615) 889-9164