Former President Donald Trump won Tennessee’s 11 electoral votes as part of his march to a second stint in office.
Following his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020, Trump is set to return to the White House following a victory over U.S. Vice President and Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris.
Trump once again won Tennessee with ease in his third bid for the presidency. He actually gained three percentage points in
the state, earning 64 percent of the vote compared to 34 percent for Harris. Trump won the general election in Tennessee with 61 percent of the vote in both 2020 and 2016
With more than 95 percent of votes tabulated, Trump has garnered more than 1.9 million votes, an improvement on the 1.85 million individual votes cast in his favor during 2020.
In Davidson County, Harris won with 63 percent of the vote, compared to 35 percent
for Trump. It was one of only two counties in the state, alongside Shelby County in West Tennessee, that voted in favor of Harris. 62 percent of Shelby County voters selected Harris.
With the majority of votes calculated, Trump has been awarded 312 electoral college votes and will take office as the 47th president of the United States in January.
Nashville voters have cast their ballots in favor of a new transit plan designed to improve buses, upgrade traffic lights, build sidewalks and more with an overwhelming 65.5 percent of votes for the measure.
“There have been people carrying the torch for this conversation for such a long time,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell told his supporters at co-working space The Malin in the Gulch. “We all came together for the past couple months to do something good, big, important and popular.”
The plan calls for $3.1 billion in spending over the next 15 years. Funds would go to improvements to the public WeGo bus system, constructing sidewalks, upgrading traffic lights and more. The “Choose How You Move” plan will be funded by a half-cent increase to the sales tax. The mayor and transit advocates say having a dedicated funding source will help Nashville apply for and receive federal grants for transportation improvements in the future.
Since O’Connell unveiled the plan in April, the transit referendum enjoyed broad support, including from local business leaders and community advocates like the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. The campaign in favor of the transit overhaul raised more than $2 million.
Opponents to the plan never mounted a concerted or well-funded campaign. Some local conservatives banded together, and some locals criticized the reliance on a regressive sales tax to fund the plan — saying it placed more burden on poorer Nashvillians — but these efforts were grassroot and disjointed. While the Kochfunded Americans for Prosperity played a part in killing a 2018 transit referendum — which, unlike “Choose How You Move,” included plans for
President-Elect Donald Trump in Nashville earlier this year PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW
Transit referendum passes
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light rail — the organization declined to challenge O’Connell’s referendum.
The sales tax increase goes into effect Feb. 1, 2025.
Katie Beth Cannon contributed to this article.
Blackburn wins second U.S. Senate term
Republican reelected over Democrat Gloria Johnson
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn will return to the U.S. Senate next year after a reelection victory over Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson. Blackburn, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, sharpened attacks on immigration, trans people and China in the final stretch of her campaign. Blackburn, a former state representative and state senator, spent more than $12.5 million on her reelection campaign. Johnson’s campaign focused on access to health care, protecting abortion rights and economic issues like raising the minimum wage and lowering living costs. She spent more than $7 million on the campaign. In October, Johnson told The News sister publication the Willamson Scene that she hoped her campaign could build long-term Democratic support in the state, particularly among disaffected voters. Johnson, a state representative in East Tennessee, ran Democrats’ best-funded statewide campaign since Phil Bredesen
Incumbent Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District held onto his seat on Election Day, defeating Democratic challenger Maryam Abolfazli.
“A bigger win is on its way for us,” Abolfazli told supporters gathered at Henrietta Red in Germantown, conceding the race. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take. I’m committed to it, and you’re committed to it.”
Blackburn’s return to Washington sets her up as a leading figure in the national GOP for the next six years. She will likely reprise a powerful position on the Senate Judiciary Committee and may join the fray to replace Kentucky’s U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell as party leader, as McConnell will step down from that position in January. Blackburn has built a national reputation as a China hawk and frequently appears on Fox News criticizing the outgoing Biden administration. She has also embraced Bitcoin, the blockchain currency. Her son, Chad Blackburn, is a popular Bitcoin evangelist.
Blackburn’s support tracked closely with Trump’s share of the Tennessee electorate. She has promoted close ties to the former president since first endorsing him in July 2016.
Ogles’ win secures the Republicans another seat in the United States House of Representatives. The Trump-endorsed political firebrand has been the subject of numerous reports noting his false statements about his professional and educational background and qualifications, unaccountedfor money meant for a children’s burial garden, civil penalty payments for multiple campaign finance violations and amended campaign finance reports. Some of those scandals led Nashvillian and prominent Republican donor Bobby Joslin to call for Ogles’ resignation just months into his term, with Joslin comparing Ogles to New York’s disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos.
The day after Ogles’ Aug. primary win, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided his office and seized his cellphone as part of an investigation into the congressman’s financial reporting. Ogles characterized the FBI’s investigation as a politically motivated attack on his campaign, but insists that he
is not the “target” of the investigation, the details of which remain unclear.
Abolfazli’s background includes nonprofit work and international political and economic development. She also led a series of protests in support of gun reform at the Tennessee State Capitol in the wake of last year’s Covenant School shooting. That work led to her being recognized as one of The News sister publication the Nashville Scene’s 2023 Nashvillians of the Year.
Meanwhile in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, progressive Democrat and relative political unknown Lore Bergman was overwhelmingly defeated by incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. John Rose. This will be the fourth congressional term for Rose, a Donald Trump loyalist who has faced ongoing criticism for his marriage to a woman 24 years his junior. District 6 covers the northeast portion of Middle Tennessee, stretching from Millersville and Portland at its western edge to Crossville at its eastern border. Due to successful Republican-led redistricting efforts, the gerrymandered district also contains a large swath of Davidson County as of 2022.
D. Patrick Rodgers contributed to this article.
WeGo bus PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
challenged Blackburn in 2018.
ELI MOTYCKA
Sen. Marsha Blackburn
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Green defeats Barry in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District
The win means a fourth term for Green in a seat he didn’t initially want again
KELSEY
U.S. Rep. Mark Green has defeated Megan Barry in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, meaning the Republican incumbent will soon enter his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district, which was redistricted in 2022 and skews overwhelmingly conservative, includes Stewart, Cheatham, Montgomery and Robertson counties at its northernmost point and Wayne County at its southernmost — including large chunks of Davidson and Williamson counties in between.
In February, Green announced he wouldn’t run for reelection, saying, “Our fight is not here within Washington, our fight is with Washington.” But he reversed course two weeks later after urging from Donald Trump, among others. An Army veteran, physician, businessman and former state senator, Green lives in Clarksville and has aligned himself with the GOP’s MAGA faction. His policy-related priorities include anti-abortion efforts, cybersecurity, immigration and decentralizing the power of the federal Department of Education.
Green defeated opponent Barry, who lives in Nashville and formerly served on the Metro Council and later as mayor. While the district was always likely to favor Green, Barry recently told The News sister publication the Nashville Scene she was hopeful for victory, saying fellow Democrat Phil Bredesen would have lost the district by just one point if the maps had been
drawn the same way during his 2018 bid for U.S. Senate. Barry’s policy priorities include reproductive freedom, gun safety and stopping congressional stock trading. Having lost a son to an overdose, Barry says she would have also used her seat in congress to help tackle the opioid epidemic — though she also advocates for issues related to substance abuse outside of politics.
Both candidates have experienced personal scandals. Green is embroiled in a contentious divorce, with his wife recently accusing him of carrying on an affair with a woman 27 years his junior. Barry’s single term as Nashville’s mayor ended prematurely in 2018 when she admitted to an affair with her head of security. She resigned and pleaded guilty for theft of property related to the affair, paying the city $11,000 in restitution.
Barry invited supporters to her home to await the election results where they were served food and drinks, with several televisions stationed throughout the house broadcasting national election information. Around 8:30 p.m., she made a speech acknowledging her loss and noting she was going to call Green afterward.
“We want him to do well,” Barry said, referring to Green. She thanked her supporters and those who helped with the campaign, saying “we ran an amazing race.”
“This race has profoundly changed me in so many positive ways,” said Barry. “I am forever grateful to every single one of you for believing in this campaign, for believing in my team and for believing in me. So tonight, I believe that we have won in so many ways. We’ll keep building, we’ll keep working, we’ll keep the faith.”
Meanwhile in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, progressive Democrat and relative political unknown Lore Bergman was overwhelmingly defeated by incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. John Rose. This will be the fourth congressional term for Rose, a Donald Trump loyalist who has faced ongoing criticism for his marriage to a woman 24 years his junior. District 6 covers the northeast portion of Middle Tennessee, stretching from Millersville and Portland at its western edge to Crossville at its eastern border. Due to successful Republican-led redistricting efforts, the gerrymandered district also contains a large swath of Davidson County as of 2022.
D. Patrick Rodgers contributed to this article.
Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1
As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. If you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.
Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to avoid large dental bills is preventive care. Experts recommend checkups twice a year.
Previous dental work can wear out.
Your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2
Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.
Unexpected bills, like $190 for a filling, or $1,213 for a crown3 can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.
DENTAL Insurance
not available in all states.
U.S. Rep. Mark Green
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Winners and losers in state House and Senate races Results in Bellevue, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville municipal elections
D. PATRICK RODGERS, HANNAH HERNER, LOGAN BUTTS
HOUSE DISTRICT 53
SENATE DISTRICT 20
In Nashville’s state Senate District 20, incumbent Democratic Sen. Heidi Campbell fended off a challenge from Republican Wyatt Rampy, the founder of a residential real estate firm. Campbell flipped the district from red to blue in 2020, having previously served as the mayor of Oak Hill. She also ran unsuccessful campaigns for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in 2022 and mayor of Nashville in 2023. Among Campbell’s priorities are reproductive rights, gun reform and transit.
“We did it!” Campbell told supporters gathered at the Davidson County Democratic Party party at Harken Hall in Madison. “One thing that we know about flipping a seat in a state like Tennessee is the most important thing is that we hang onto the seat. And we hung on to this seat.”
Campbell said 210 donors donated to her race. She thanked Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) for his support of the Democratic Party statewide.
“We have a lot of work to do in Tennessee, and I look forward to all that we’re going to do this next four years to eradicate the slate of hate, elect compassionate and reasonable people and pass legislation that supports the people who live here.”
HOUSE DISTRICT 50
In Nashville’s state House District 50, Democratic incumbent Rep. Bo Mitchell has fended off a challenge from Republican
Metro Councilmember Jennifer Frensley Webb. Mitchell was first elected to the seat in 2012, though he ran unopposed in the 2020 and 2022 general elections. Mitchell has opposed Gov. Bill Lee’s voucher efforts and proposed gun control efforts. Earlier this year, Mitchell challenged Frensley Webb’s eligibility in the race before the Davidson County Election Commission.
HOUSE DISTRICT 51
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Aftyn Behn defeated independent candidate Jeff Ketelsen and will retain her seat. Before her election to succeed the late Bill Beck in the seat last year, Behn was a fixture at the state Capitol as an advocate for progressive causes.
HOUSE DISTRICT 52
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Justin Jones fended off a challenge from Republican Laura Nelson and will retain his seat. Jones gained national attention in 2023 as a member of the “Tennessee Three” — following his protests for gun reform on the House floor in the wake of that year’s Covenant School shooting, Jones and state Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis were expelled from their seats by the Republican supermajority. Jones was quickly reinstated. In the spring, Nelson challenged Jones’ eligibility before the Davidson County Election Commission, but the DCEC voted down Nelson’s challenge. This is the second time she has lost to Jones in the heavily Democratic district.
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Jason Powell has easily defeated Republican challenger Yog Nepal and will retain his seat in District 53. Powell has represented the district since 2012, and recently sponsored legislation to prohibit corporal punishment in public schools.
HOUSE DISTRICT 54
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Vincent Dixie ran unopposed and will retain his seat.
HOUSE DISTRICT 55
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. John Ray Clemmons ran unopposed and will retain his seat.
HOUSE DISTRICT 56
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Bob Freeman ran unopposed and will retain his seat.
HOUSE DISTRICT 58
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Harold Love ran unopposed and will retain his seat.
HOUSE DISTRICT 59
Nashville’s incumbent Democratic state House Rep. Caleb Hemmer ran unopposed and will retain his seat.
HOUSE DISTRICT 60
Democrat and first-time candidate Shaundelle Brooks has defeated Republican candidate Chad Bobo in Nashville’s closely watched House District 60, which includes
Hermitage, Donelson and parts of Old Hickory. Brooks, who narrowly secured a victory over Tyler Brasher in August’s Democratic primary, entered politics following the death of her son Akila DaSilva, who was killed in a mass shooting at an Antioch Waffle House in 2018. Bobo, a former aide to state House Speaker Cameron Sexton, lists economic development and infrastructure improvements among his top policy priorities.
“I’m trying to give my kids a decent life,” Brooks told The News sister publication the Nashville Scene in July. “Daily, I’m coming into contact with the school system, the health care system, insurance companies and gun violence. I stand up for people. I fight for people who don’t have a voice.”
Since 2012, the district has been represented by Democrat Darren Jernigan, who opted not to seek reelection this year following his acceptance of a position in Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s administration.
MUNICIPAL RESULTS
Residents in Bellevue, Forest Hills and Goodlettsville also voted for city commissioners in municipal elections. Lanson J. Hyde III was the only commissioner on the ballot in Forest Hills, while Haley Dale and Tom Starkey ran unopposed for the two commissioner spots in Belle Meade. In Goodlettsville, Jesse Walker, Jennifer Duncan, and Cisco Gilmore earned the three spots up for grabs.
Below are the results of Nashville’s state House and Senate elections.
State Rep. Shaundelle Brooks PHOTO: ELLE DANIELLE
Heidi Campbell at a 2022 election party
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Universal voucher legislation returns
Republican leaders Jack Johnson and William Lamberth spearheading efforts to create ‘Education Freedom Scholarships’
Gov. Bill Lee’s universal voucher push is back via newly filed legislation from House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin). The legislation is the first bill filed for Tennessee’s 114th General Assembly, which will begin in January, and an attempt to revitalize the previous session’s unsuccessful attempt to pass similar legislation to allow students across the state to use public dollars to attend private schools.
Last November, Gov. Lee announced his desire to bring a universal voucher program to Tennessee. Though the legislature passed this year’s state budget with $144 million earmarked for such a program, corresponding legislation was not ultimately voted through — Democrats outright opposed it, and Republicans in the House and Senate couldn’t agree on how to go about it.
Lamberth and Johnson have filed identical bills to be considered in 2025, indicating more unity among Republican leadership — though there will also be a
new lineup of legislators voting on the bills in the wake of the Nov. 5 election.
“I’m very confident we have the votes,” Johnson told The News sister publication the Williamson Scene on election night.
“We have the votes in the Senate. We have the votes in the House. Like with many complicated pieces of legislation, we have to work out some differences.”
The Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2025 would award 20,000 scholarships in its first year to families across the state, regardless of income. Half of those scholarships, however, would be set aside to prioritize students with disabilities, those who are eligible for the preexisting Education Savings Account Program and those whose “annual household income does not exceed three hundred percent (300%) of the amount required for the student to qualify for free or reduced price lunch.” Five-thousand additional scholarships would be added each year, assuming that 75 percent of the previous year’s scholarships were utilized. The perpupil scholarship amount aligns with that
of the state’s public school funding formula base amount, which was most recently $7,075. The new legislation would also require students in third through 11th grades who utilize the program to take a nationally standardized achievement test or the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Test.
Included in the legislation is a $2,000 bonus for Tennessee public school teachers and the allocation of 80 percent of sports wagering dollars committed to improving K-12 public school facilities and infrastructure, with an emphasis on distressed and at-risk counties.
“We’re gonna continue to support and promote and improve public education,” said Johnson on Nov. 5. “But while we’re doing that, we should also get parents who have their kids trapped in a failing school a different alternative — and that’s the reason for the bill.”
Newly reelected state Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) calls the legislation the “same scam, different
education and completely dismantle and defund our public schools.”
Some sources have suggested that Gov. Lee might call a special session related to vouchers. Johnson told the Williamson Scene, “There have been no serious conversations about that yet,” and it’s ultimately the governor’s decision.
Gov. Lee told reporters on Nov. 6 that he isn’t planning to call a special session to address vouchers or hurricane relief.
“We’re going to work with the legislature to make sure that we give parents choice,” he said. “That we give relief to those in upper East [Tennessee], and that the legislature will determine what’s the best way forward there.”
Hamilton Matthew Masters Masters contributed to this article.
This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Scene.
BLAKEFORD AT GREEN HILLS
Q&A: Waverly Ann Harris, Friends Life Community CEO encourages companies to employ people with disabilitie s
HANNAH HERNER
When adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities grow beyond school age, Friends Life Community day program steps in to provide assistance.
Founded in 2008, the nonprofit has two main programs: Pathways to Independence, which focuses on independent living and employment, and Advocacy Through the Arts, which produces theater performances and gallery expeditions. As part of the former, the organization and its participants run ice cream truck Friends’ Treat Truck.
Waverly Ann Harris, CEO and president of Friends Life Community, tells The News sister publication the Nashvile Post that the activities are all in an effort to prevent isolation and provide community while building purpose and confidence for people with disabilities. Part of that is helping the participants to find fulfilling employment — which involves working both with the individual and the prospective workplace.
WHAT DOES THE JOB TRAINING YOU OFFER ENTAIL?
It’s a lot more on the soft-skill side. How we approach job training is really focused on job readiness. We are exposing the friends to different environments. They volunteer with a lot of different nonprofits throughout Nashville and also get to experience different hospitality opportunities through the Friends’ Treat Truck.
Everything we do is focused on that confidence building. So whether they’re participating in a performance through the arts or they’re volunteering in the community, it’s really about helping them build confidence so that they can get a job, learn the social skills, and also that social emotional regulation that is much harder to teach on the job.
We do provide one-on-one job coaching, where we can help them with the technical skills of the job, but we feel like that is best learned on the job. Also we help with the culture piece and helping the whole team learn practices around inclusion, and the individual to learn the company’s culture.
HOW DOES FRIENDS LIFE CONNECT WITH EMPLOYERS?
We believe in changing culture, not changing people. And to do that, we focus a lot on education, not just on the individuals with disabilities and preparing them and equipping them, but also on society as a whole.
Everything we do is meant to help educate the community and society and help to reframe what inclusion looks like, to mentor best practices, and also to just help everybody rethink the benefits of having a neurodivergent community. There’s often a lot of pressure for the individual with a disability to get a job, but also to do that, to change and to shift so that they fit into the boxes that are already there.
HOW CAN EMPLOYERS FOLLOW THROUGH WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?
Gresham Smith — we had built a relationship with and they were actively asking about inclusive employment, and we were able to place an individual there. It’s been a great fit. They’ve also asked our employment specialist to then train their staff and give them ideas on more ways that they can think inclusively and create an environment that is more inclusive.
One of the things that we focus on is by simplifying processes and creating clarity around some of the processes that these individuals would be following, it really creates more clarity and better functionality
for all employees.
Something that we notice with the individuals we work with is a lot of times things are very literal, and there’s not a lot of space for abstract. And that’s a great example of anybody you’re working with. The way I think is very specific to the way I think, so the more abstract I get, the more challenging it’s going to be for anybody to understand me, whether they’re autistic or not.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MAIN MESSAGE TO EMPLOYERS INVOLVING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?
I think that simple opportunities to be very clear and direct and think in literal modes when giving direction when setting expectations is going to be helpful for every employee, including individuals with disabilities.
For example, the individuals that we support, when they find something they’re really good at and they like, they are very routine-oriented and also very dedicated. They can become some of the most responsible, dedicated employees, because they thrive on that routine, and that can become a true benefit to an employer.
This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Post.
Council chooses two for East Bank Development Authority
Lawyer Scott Tift, workforce organizer Nathaniel Carter elected from five nominees
Metro Council filled its two positions on the East Bank Development Authority Thursday night with attorney Scott Tift and workforce organizer Nathaniel Carter. Appointments from the mayor and the state yet to be decided.
The East Bank Development Authority will oversee Metro’s 30-acre initial development area with the future Titan’s stadium as well as the new Oracle campus. Councilmembers considered five nominees. Mekayle Houghton, Kerry Garner, Bob Braswell, Carter and Tift were interviewed by the body’s Rules, Confirmations and Public Elections Committee in October. Houghton, who could not appear at her originally scheduled interview due to a funeral, was interviewed before the Metro Council meeting on Thursday.
Tift and Carter received 24 and 21 votes, respectively. To be elected, each candidate had to get at least 21 votes. Narrowly missing an appointment, Houghton, the executive director of local nonprofit Cumberland River Compact, received 20 votes.
The room erupted in applause and sounds of congratulations at the announcement of the positions, which are the first officially named to the nine-member board of directors that will manage the East Bank’s future growth.
“We appreciate everyone willing to serve and [council] members who put forward. Thank you to you all, and congratulations again to Mr. Tift and Mr. Carter,” Vice Mayor Angie Henderson said.
A lawyer who focuses his practice on labor cases, Tift said in his nomination interview that he understands the issues workers face and, furthermore, brings experience involving the type complex contracts often involved in similar projects.
“I think it’s nice when you have some lawyers in the mix,” said Tift, who practices at Nashville’s Barrett, Johnston, Martin & Garrison.
Carter’s background is in workforce development, as he is a part of local nonprofit Stand Up Nashville. The organization, according to its website, “addresses racial and economic inequality through strategic research, popular education, and organizing.”
“I have actively been trying to change the
narrative in Nashville every day that I wake up,” Carter said.
Councilmember Kyzonte Toombs said Carter’s work involving construction and community engagement efforts for individuals’ career opportunities suggest he will keep Nashville’s working-class population in mind.
During Carter’s interview, multiple council members praised his work positively impacting the city.
Tift will fill a term that expires June 30, 2027, while Carter will serve until June 30, 2026
This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Post.
KATIE BETH CANNON
Waverly Ann Harris
PHOTO: WILLIAM DESHAZER
Four takeaways from Metro Committee meeting on domestic violence
Councilmembers discuss access to national criminal-history index, firearm dispossession monitoring and more
KATIE BETH CANNON
The Metro Council’s Public Health & Safety Committee held its third and final special meeting discussing domestic violence on Oct. 30, where councilmembers heard from representatives of the Metro Nashville Police Department, the Davidson County District Attorney’s office and the courts. They discussed next steps in improving how the city handles domestic violence cases, from the time a call is placed to MNPD through the resolution of the case. Conversation centered on possible legislative changes and budget considerations for MNPD and the judicial system.
MNPD AND MAGISTRATES CAN NOW ACCESS NCIC FILES
The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is an index of criminal history information organized by the FBI, as well as federal, state, local and foreign governments. Until recently, NCIC files have been inaccessible to MNPD and Nashville magistrates.
According to Division VI Judge Jim Todd, as of this week, the FBI green-lit Nashville magistrates’ ability to access NCIC. Access to these files is important in the ability of the courts to set bond conditions. Judge Todd requested a budget increase for judicial assistance to be able to review NCIC files effectively.
Public Health & Safety Committee Chair Erin Evans said the support of Judge Todd’s request is an important next step, noting that this is a key point of reinforcement in terms of setting bonds. “Basically, they’re operating without all the information,” Evans said.
THE CITY NEEDS A CLEAR PATH ON FIREARM DISPOSSESSION MONITORING
“Somebody gets convicted of domestic violence,” said District Attorney Glenn Funk at Wednesday’s meeting. “If they possess a gun, they have to dispossess the gun. But there’s no real mechanism to check whether or not they actually dispossessed the gun.” Essentially, we’re taking people convicted of domestic violence at their word regarding whether they still have a gun. This is a convoluted issue, and one that doesn’t solely involve the Metro Council.
Metro has to figure out “how all the different stakeholders are involved in making that decision and then execute — us helping execute on whatever that decision is,” said Evans. “And I feel like they all have to get on board with what that looks like, so that way we will know how to support them directly.”
SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES COULD CHANGE COURTS
Chancellor Anne Martin discussed state trial courts considering changing which courts some domestic violence cases are tried in depending on case details, and how that affects both budget and organization. It was described by Evans as a potential paradigm shift in court operations.
THE DEFINITION OF ‘DOMESTIC VIOLENCE’ COULD CHANGE
“Domestic violence in Tennessee is defined quite broadly,” said Assistant District Attorney General Christina Johnson. “One of those relationships within the statute is ‘adults or minors who live together or have lived together.’ This [includes] roommates. I have seen, in practice, an adverse effect on our migrant population due to this.”
Johnson went on to explain that when MNPD receives a call related to violence in the home, they must press charges, even if those involved in the situation don’t want to. This can disproportionately affect immigrant populations in Nashville, who often live in the same household even if they are not related.
The district attorney’s office proposed a change in the way domestic violence is defined as it relates to these types of roommate relationships. This would drop domestic violence charges down to assault charges in some cases.
NEXT STEPS
Following these conversations, the committee is hoping to bring this information to the rest of the Metro Council, influencing their upcoming discussions surrounding budget needs.
“I would say they’ll kind of tee up some of the questions that we should be asking,” said Evans.
She hopes to see the conversation extend beyond how domestic violence is handled and into the root causes of why we’re seeing rising cases in Nashville.
“[October is] Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” she said. “I think we put a lot of emphasis on the awareness part, but when you start thinking about all the systems that are involved, the easiest way to get people to stop committing domestic violence would be for us to make sure that we’re making the investments in people that will help them not become potential offenders to begin with.”
This article was first published via our sister publication the Nashville Scene.
BELLE MEADE
City of Forest Hills Planning Commission
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
November 21, 2024 6:00 p.m. at the City Hall
The Planning Commission members for the City of Forest Hills will hold a Public Hearing on November 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the City Hall, 6300 Hillsboro Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37215. The purpose of the Public Hearing will be to consider a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for amendments and additions to the city’s Zoning Ordinance. Changes to the Zoning Ordinance are being considered to update and improve what is currently in place. Copies of Zoning Ordinance are available for review at the City Hall during regular business hours. Copies are also available from the city’s website at www.cityofforesthills.com.
For further information, contact Mark Hill / City Manager at (615) 372-8677 or mark.hill@cityofforesthills.com
SPORTS
Local teams compete at cross country state championships Davidson Academy boys win first-ever state title
LOGAN BUTTS
The 2024 TSSAA cross country state championships took place on Nov. 7-8 at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville, and several local schools competed with the best of the best across Tennessee.
In the boys Division II-A race, Davidson Academy won the program’s first-ever state championship with a total of 47 points.
University School of Nashville (79) and Donelson Christian Academy (95) came in second and fourth, respectively.
In the girls Division II-A race, Battle Ground Academy (81 points) and Grace Christian Academy (131) took third and fifth place, respectively.
The Webb School’s Abby Faith Cheeseman set a TSSAA record with her fifth-consecutive individual title.
Top local individuals:
Third: Pinto, Kiera, BGA, 20:07.00
Fifth: Scurlock, Taleigh, DCA, 20:21.09
Seventh Cleveland, Tibbie, BGA 20:29.58
In the girls Division II-AA race, Harpeth Hall (116) took fourth, Brentwood Academy
(162) finished seventh, St. Cecilia (242) was ninth and Father Ryan (285) was 10th.
Top local individuals:
Sixth: Lowrance, Lula, Harpeth Hall, 18:42.16
10th: Cox, Kinslee, Brentwood Academy, 19:10.28
11th: Slattery, Maggie, Father Ryan, 19:20.44
17th: Torr, Ashley, Pope John Paul II, 19:48.05
18th: Crosslin, Maggie, St. Cecilia Academy, 19:56.84
19th: Harden, Clara Scot, Harpeth Hall, 20:07.90
In the boys Division II-AA race, Montgomery Bell Academy (81) finished third, Brentwood Acaddemy (180) took seventh, Father Ryan (243) finished eighth, and Pope John Paul II (271) was ninth.
Top local individuals:
Third: Wallace, Jack, MBA, 15:27.32
Sixth: Newman, Jp, MBA, 15:40.32
Eighth: Rehm, Grant, Ensworth, 15:53.88
Ninth: Guillamondegui, Ga, MBA, 15:55.38
13th: Arender, Thomas, Pope John Paul II, 16:07.14
In the girls Class AAA race, the Brentwood girls cross country team extended its dynasty, winning for the fifth year in a row. The Bruins compiled just 38 points, more than 100 points better than second-place Collierville.
Nolensville (third, 152 points) and Page (fourth, 159 points) also finished in the top five.
In the individual competition, Nolensville star Claire Stegall won her third-consecutive state title. The senior finished in a time of 17:28.35, separating from a pair of Summit runners who finished second and third — Lorelai Whitten (17:47.46) and Sienna Anderson (17:51.30).
Overall, Stegall now has seven career individual state championships when combining cross country and track and field.
Other top local individuals were:
Fifth: Banovac, Lauren, Brentwood, 18:08.26
Seventh: Johnson, Larkin, Centennial, 18:20.93
Eighth: Cromwell, Lydia, Brentwood, 18:24.67
10th: Cobb, Abi, Brentwood, 18:30.46
11th: Boutros, Sophia, Page, 18:31.95
12th: Boutros, Gabrielle, Page, 18:32.84
13th: Haws, Rachel, Brentwood, 18:34.54
16th Banovac, Lia, Brentwood, 18:49.71
17th: Haga, Emma, Brentwood, 19:00.55
21st: Smith, Natalie, Page, 19:09.92
24th: Kramer, Kacy, Independence, 19:22.29
In the boys Class AAA competition, Independence’s Asher Oates improved on his fourth-place finish from last season with an individual title. The junior finished with a time of 15:03.50.
Other top local individuals were: Second: Fielder, Callahan, Brentwood, 15:09.28
Fifth: Vaughn, Kehler, Brentwood, 15:43.99
Eighth: Humphries, Logan, Nolensville, 15:56.14
17th: Algood, Andrew, Ravenwood, 16:14.59
19th: Pease, Kade, Summit, 16:23.81
20th: Glisson-Schlitt, J, Nolensville, 16:25.20
25th: Haack, Aiden, Page, 16:30.74
In the team competition, Nolensville (117 points) finished as the runner-up to Farragut. Brentwood (131) and Independence (223) took fourth and eighth, respectively.
In the girls Class A-AA race, HumeFogg finished seventh (221 points) and
Fairview was ninth (312).
Top local individuals: Sixth, Lerond, Andi, Fairview, 18:58.51
Eighth, Lerond, Ries, Fairview, 19:14.10
Ninth, Sychareune, Kyrian, Hume-Fogg, 19:18.99
In the boys Class A-AA race, MLK (90 points) finished as a runner-up to Central Magnet and Fairview (261) grabbed eighth.
Top local individuals: Fourth, Lewis, Korben, MLK, 15:54.71
Eighth, Boling, Wyatt, MLK, 16:15.08
22nd, Daniel, Noah, MLK, 16:54.01
LOGAN BUTTS EDITOR
HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS NEWS REPORTER AND PHOTOJOURNALIST
NICOLLE S. PRAINO STAFF REPORTER
LISA BOLD PRODUCTION MANAGER
CHELON HASTY SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER
ELIZABETH JONES CORPORATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
TODD PATTON CFO
MIKE SMITH PRESIDENT AND CEO
BILL FREEMAN OWNER
Nolensville’s Claire Stegall PHOTO: DAVID RUSSELL
TICKED OFF - BUT MORE DISAPPOINTED
We celebrate our freedom each time we go to the ballot box, but the overwhelming desire to return a morally bankrupt man to leader of this country is wholly disappointing and has done more to endanger our freedoms than anything seen in the history of our country. And while I understand that outside of Nashville (and Memphis) people would generally never cross their political line –even if their conscience might be throwing a flag – the fact that so many Nashvillians voted for Trump is beyond comprehension. So, I say, CONGRATULATIONS– you’ve helped to unleashed a level of SPITE, HATRED and VITRIOL that our country hasn’t seen since the late 1940s. Don’t believe me, let’s look at the facts since Trump’s big comeback:
Conservative student and supporter of
TICKED OFF!
Trump, Nick Fuentes’ posted an utterly crass and disturbing post on X (f/k/a Twitter), claiming to woman: “Your body, my choice. Forever.” (Followed by a demonic laugh).
Institute for Strategic Dialogue tracked an increase in misogynistic comments on X (f/k/a Twitter), including “get back to the kitchen” and “repeal the 19th (referring to the amendment securing women’s right to vote)
Young girls around the country reported hearing the phrase, “Your body, my choice” chanted to them at school, while 52,000 posts including this phrase appeared on Facebook within a 24-hour period.
Female TikTok users reported having to delete comments in response to these misogynistic posts after being threatened by men stating that they “couldn’t wait until [user] was raped.”
Meanwhile, around Nashville (and in at least 20 other states) – black students
received texts like the following:
Greetings [insert black student name],
“You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation starting 11/07/2024.
Please be ready at 8 a.m. SHARP! With your belongings. Our executive slave catchers pick you up in a brown van, be prepared to be searched once you’ve entered the plantation.
You are in Plantation group 7.”
This is what Trump and his cronies have unleashed upon us. So much for Christian values. So much for equality, freedom and democracy for all. I, for one, fear for my son and daughter and pray to God to protect us over the next four years.
SPEED CUSHIONS
I’m ticked off at all the speed ‘cushions’ popping up all over the backstreets. As a native of Green Hills, I know all the back roads home and try to avoid Green Hills
traffic like the plague. But, we only have ourselves to blame. If people didn’t tear down small residential streets, these bumps wouldn’t be necessary. There’s a simple solution. Drive the speed limit!!
The comments in the Ticked Off column do not reflect the views of FW Publishing.
Pumpkin Walnut Muffins
BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE
Use mashed sweet potato, butternut squash, or canned pumpkin in these tender sweet muffins.
MUFFINS
2¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoons nutmeg
1 stick salted butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin or 2 cups sweet potatoes or squash puree
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Add pumpkin and yogurt, beat well.
4. Add flour mixture a little at a time, beating between each addition. Fold in walnuts.
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
STREUSEL TOPPING
¾ cup flour
1/3 c up brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
ACROSS
1 “RuPaul’s Drag Race” airer
4 Self-assurance
10 Letter that’s sixth in the Greek alphabet, not last
14 “I’m on vacation” email inits.
15 High-end German car, casually
16 Dwarf planet with the largest mass
17 Fanatic
18 Photography option commonly represented by a 37-Across
20 Coffee order specification
22 Like Igor’s posture
23 N.F.L. team whose helmet features a 37-Across
25 Relish
29 Arm of the Mediterranean
30 Lick … or slick
32 Game whose name is shouted
33 Episode interruptions
34 Hitch
36 Buy and then quickly sell
63 Drink aptly found within “social event”
64 T ikka masala go-with
65 Don’t have a choice
66 Dead end?
DOWN
1 Friend on “Friends”
2 “Fair point!”
3 Ixnay
4 Jackson 5 song that begins “You went to school to learn, girl”
34 Haughty sor t
35 Naught
36 Big name in tourism guides
37 Concern when transferring a title deed
38 The Horned Frogs of the N.C.A.A.
39 Common clown name
40 “Doctor ___”
44 Agile
5. To prepare the streusel topping, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix together with a fork. Add butter and combine until mixture resembles coarse meal. (Using your hands is useful here.)
6. Pour batter into 12 muffin cups until ¾ full. Sprinkle each with streusel topping. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
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.
37 What’s formed by connecting this puzzle’s circled letters from A to F and then back to A
40 Port, for one
41 Far from friendly
42 Poetic praise
43 “___ So F ine” (1963 #1 hit)
44 Deli order
45 Houses
48 Ready to be drawn, perhaps
50 Drink with a 37-Across in its logo
52 Shield
55 Muslim denomination
56 Character with a 37-Across on his forehead
60 Counterpart of flow
61 [Gasp!]
62 Tangle
5 Bird with a showy mate
6 Madagascar mammal
7 Portentous signs
8 Soldier for hire, in brief
9 Surfer dude
10 Princess of Nintendo games
11 Queen V ictoria has one named for her
12 “___ the Voice of the Lobster” (Lewis Carroll poem)
13 Pale wood
19 Fedora fabric
21 Coat, as with flour
24 This is a deep cut
26 Took the lead
27 Squadron, e.g.
28 Grammy categor y
30 What might be out for a spell?
31 French toast ingredient
45 Certify
46 Pot brownie, e.g.
47 Naval engineer
49 Kitchen cover-up
50 “Catch my drift?”
51 Was part of a series, say
53 Neon sign word
54 Soften, with “down”
56 Sweetie
57 “I’ve got it!”
58 Molecule involved in protein synthesis
59 Greek consonant
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 JEFFREY LEASE
SERVICE & MAINTENANCE
WOODMONT BAPTIST CHURCH
Symphony Fashion Show Kick-off
PHOTOS: DANIEL MEIGS
The Nashville Symphony welcomed more than 100 guests to Gus Mayer in Green Hills for the official kick-off celebration of the 2025 Symphony Fashion Show. Co-chairs Katie Crumbo and Laurie Seabury, along with executive chairman Sandra Lipman, were eager for the crowd of former chairs and committee members to get a first look at the stunning Spring 2025 collection from fashion designer Pamella Roland. Pamella, who was the featured designer at the firstever Symphony Fashion Show, will return for the fundraiser’s 20th anniversary on April 29,
2025, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center. As guests perused the glittering assortment of gowns and cocktail dresses, they sipped a purple specialty cocktail drink, adorned with purple gemstones, and sampled hors d’oeuvres from The Southern Steak & Oyster. Event designer Bruce Pittman outfitted the Green Hills boutique in shades of purple, with musical instruments on loan from the Nashville Symphony’s education department surrounded by lush floral arrangements from Jim Knestrick.
Models showcase looks from Pamella Roland’s Spring 2025 collection
Symphony Fashion Show executive chairman Sandra Lipman
Symphony Fashion Show co-chairs Laurie Seabury and Katie Crumb
Jeffrey Ciullo, Connie Cathcart-Richardson, and Janice Elliott Morgan
Vicki Horne, Symphony Fashion Show co-chair Katie Crumbo, and LaDonna Boyd
Emily Humphreys, Laura Niewold, and Gloria Houghland
Lisa Manning and Suann Davis
Nashville Symphony President and CEO Alan D. Valentine, and Suann Davis
Five free and cheapfamily things to do in Middle Tennessee
AMANDA HAGGARD
We’re full speed ahead toward the end of 2024, and as we speed forward, there’s a few chances to feel ahead of the Christmas game this weekend. The Fairgrounds Nashville offers a Christmas Village with items for the whole family. Santa himself is coming
to Green Hills. We’ve got the Celebration of Schools at Nissan Stadium where parents can check out a showcase and annual parade. There’s one more Fall Fest in the mix, and speaking of full speed head, Sonic the Hedgehog makes an appearance at the TPAC.
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:
MNPS CELEBRATION OF SCHOOLS
At Nissan Stadium on Nov. 16, Metro Nashville Public Schools is slated to host the annual Celebration of Schools Parade and Fair. At the free event from 1-5 p.m, schools and students will join together for the third annual parade and fair, where the district will have food, giveaways and activities and attendees will have the chance to meet educators representing Nashville schools. The parade begins at 1 p.m. and the showcase of schools begins at 2 p.m. Students and families who are marching in the parade will receive instructions from their schools, but all in the district are welcome to attend.
CHRISTMAS VILLAGE
The Christmas Village, which takes place
Nov. 15-17 at the Nashville Fairgrounds, brings together 250 merchants and 30,000 shoppers for the annual show, which is put together by the Nashville Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club. The large show includes a variety of unique seasonal and gift items like toys for all ages, clothing for children and adults, jewelry, home decor, food items, pottery, collectibles, and unusual pieces for the “person who has everything.” According to a release, the Christmas Village was created in 1961 as a means to increase the financial contributions to the Bill Wilkerson Hearing and Speech Center and now they support the special hearing and speech programs at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center. Throughout the years, the event has generated more than $14.7 million.
SONIC SYMPHONY
Sonic Symphony at TPAC is an immersive live experience that celebrates more than three decades of music from SEGA’s iconic mascot. While it’s not a cheap show, the nostalgia value may be worth it for parents of a certain generation. The show follows our favorite blue friend from through a list of classic 8-bit and 16-bit tunes to rock bands and EDM. Introduce your kiddo to the classics while you “relive your favorite
Sonic moments” with a live orchestra on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.
SANTA’S ARRIVAL AT GREEN HILLS MALL
The Mall at Green Hills and Nashville Predators are coming together to welcome Santa to Nashville. At the free event, there will be games, crafts, snacks, music and fun for the whole family from 9-10 a.m. on Nov. 16. And, of course, Santa will be there.
GILDA’S CLUB MIDDLE TENNESSEE FALL FESTIVAL
On Nov. 16, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee will host a Fall Festival, where they’ll showcase and celebrate the club’s community, togetherness, and support. Gilda’s Club’s mission is to provide valuable resources and programs they offer to those impacted by cancer, including their families and friends. The open-house style is slated to include fun activities, where people of all ages can come together and experience the caring spirit that defines Gilda’s Club. There’ll be live entertainment, food and more.
