Tenet Media makes ‘covert’ Russian propaganda
According to a federal indictment, a Green Hills-based “online content creation company” is at the center of a covert Russian propaganda effort that aims to “illegally manipulate American public opinion by sowing discord and division.”
While not specifically named in the indictment, the company referred to by prosecutors as “U.S. Company-1” is Nashville’s Tenet Media, which has a Burton Hills Boulevard address on file with the state of Tennessee listed as its principal office. Tenet Media registered as a business with the state in January 2022. Those state documents
show that Tenet is a part of Roaming USA Corp., which has a Brentwood address on file with the state.
Prosecutors allege that the company was created by RT, and by extension the Russian government, as a “covert project” that ramped up operations in the U.S. following February 2022 sanctions banning the outlet from operating in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and much of Europe after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tenet Media describes itself as a “network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues” — the same
description of U.S. Company-1 detailed in the indictment.
According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, two Russian nationals — 31-year-old Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and 27-year-old Elena Afanasyeva — have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Both Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva are employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet formerly known as Russia Today. Both remain at large.
Swan Ball will benefit Friends of Warner Parks in 2025 rather than Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, according to a press release obtained by The News and the Nashville Post
The event is set for June 7, 2025 at Edwin Warner Park, according to the release.
Cheekwood on Tuesday submitted a notice to the court that it received from SB Initiative addressed to “Swan Ball Friends,” asking the court to expedite the proceedings. The announcement “confirms the urgent need to enjoin SBI from using Cheekwood’s SWAN BALL mark while the case is pending for the reasons stated in the Motion and supporting papers,” according to court documents.
Swan Ball organizers, operating under the newly formed SB Initiative, Inc. sued Cheekwood to take control of the event in July, alleging to that Cheekwood took control of Swan Ball operations, although Cheekwood claims in court documents that it owned state trademark for the event since 2004. Cheekwood claimed that the event run falls short of national charity standards and later countersued, alleging SBI did not have ownership of the event.
“As we consider the next chapter for Swan Ball, we are excited to continue our good work of the last six decades to enhance the quality of life in our community,” said SB Initiative, Inc. Board Co-Chairmen Kathryn C. Brown and Elizabeth L. Nichols. “Over the past few months, it has been rewarding to hear non-profit organizations
Tenet Media’s headquarters, located on Burton Hills Boulevard in Green Hills, on Sept. 5, 2024 PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Tenent Media makes
According to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the duo were involved in a “$10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.” The money was allegedly paid to Tenet Media from seven “foreign shell entities.”
“The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own
propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing,” Garland says in a release issued Wednesday.
The Washington Post reports that Tenet Media was founded by right-wing commentator Lauren Chen, who uses the online handle “Roaming Millennial,” and her husband Liam Donovan. The indictment doesn’t specifically name Chen and Donovan, and instead refers to them as “Founder-1” and “Founder-2.”
Swan Ball moving fundraising
Prosecutors allege that Kalashnikov, Afanasyeva, Chen and Donovan all knew of the source of the funds and worked to “deceive two online commentators” and spread Russian propaganda by “leveraging their existing audiences.” While not named in the indictment, based on the listed number of YouTube followers, those two commentators who were specifically “deceived” are likely Dave Rubin and Tim Pool. According to Tenet Media’s website, its “talent” includes right-wing podcasters and media influencers Rubin, Pool, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen and Benny Johnson.
In 2022, Johnson encouraged Williamson County students to fight the “culture war” with memes and ridicule at a Turning Point USA event in Franklin. Tennessee Republican leaders including U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles have regularly amplified talking points from Tenet’s talking heads. Blackburn also appeared on several podcast episodes with Chen in 2021 and 2022.
This isn’t the first time Tennessee has been tied to Russian propaganda efforts. As reported by the Nashville Banner, local attorney G. Kline Preston IV and conservative pundit Steve Gill both served
as “foreign observers” of Russian elections in occupied Ukrainian territories in 2023.
Many of the content creators have made public statements about the indictment, including Johnson.
“A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor,” reads the statement Johnson posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. “Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.”
“Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show and the contents of the show are often apolitical,” Pool says in his own social media statement, adding, “Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls.”
Tenet Media has hundreds of thousands of followers across various social media platforms, where they feature videos that sensationalize social issues like diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and LGBTQ rights and stoke fears of immigrant crime, among other topics. The company’s “talent” sports millions of followers across their personal social media pages.
The News visited Tenet’s address on file with the state of Tennessee but instead found the offices of Regus, IWG. The News was told that Tenet does have a “virtual office” at the suite, but no representative was on site for comment. The building also houses Tenet Health in a separate suite, but a representative said it was unaffiliated with Tenet Media.
According to the Department of Justice, Tenet, its founders, and Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva never registered as a foreign agents as required by law.
“Covert attempts to sow division and trick Americans into unwittingly consuming foreign propaganda represents attacks on our democracy,” says Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray in the DOJ statement. “Today’s actions show that as long as foreign adversaries like Russia keep engaging in hostile influence campaigns, they are going to keep running into the FBI. We will continue to do everything we can to expose the hidden hand of foreign adversaries like Russia and disrupt their efforts to meddle in our free and open society.”
Tenet Media
Benny Johnson speaks to students and other community members in Franklin on Sept. 21, 2022, during Turning Point USA’s Made in America Tour. PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
marvel over the strength and impact that the Swan Ball volunteers can make on our community.”
Swan Ball was founded in 1963 to raise funds for the then-Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Art Center at Cheekwood. It has since donated more than $37 million, according to the release. Swan Ball has been held at multiple locations but has seemingly always benefitted Cheekwood.
Edwin Warner Park PHOTO: FILE PHOTO
Lipscomb’s
Lipscomb University track and field athlete Liza Corso won the second Paralympic medal of her career last week when she earned bronze in the 1500m - T13 race.
Corso ran a blazing time of 4:23.45 on Aug. 31 at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, finishing less than a minute behind
gold medalist Tigist Mengistu from Ethiopia. The college senior previously won a silver medal in the same event at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. In both races, Corso was the only American in the field.
Corso is classified as a T13 athlete, which means she has moderate visual impairment.
Visually impaired athletes are classified in a range from T11-T13.
At Lipscomb, Corso has earned three combined all-conference honors in cross country and track and field, has qualified for an NCAA championship meet in both sports, and was named an Academic All-
American for cross country in 2023. Corso wasn’t the only local to earn a Paralympic medal last week. Fellow Nashvillian Joe Delagrave led Team USA wheelchair rugby to a silver medal on Sept. 2.
Cognitive decline can steal the past, but it doesn’t have to steal the future. Pioneered to curb the effects of cognitive decline, Circle of Friends® is a unique, evidence-based program for building brain fitness. It was developed by Belmont Village in collaboration with the nation’s top universities and healthcare institutions — and it works. Residents enjoy a rich, therapeutic program of physical and mental activities designed to maintain brain function and build self-esteem.
Liza Corso PHOTO: TEAM USA
Joe Delagrave PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Congressmen Green, Ogles stump in Williamson County weeks before general election
Green ‘seriously considering’ releasing military records, Ogles jokes about FBI investigation
HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
U.S. Reps. Mark Green and Andy Ogles were among a slate of Republican speakers who rallied voters and donors at the Sept. 7 Williamson County Republican Party BBQ fundraiser in Thompson’s Station just 59 days before the Nov. 5 general election.
In February, Green announced that he wouldn’t seek reelection before reversing that decision following pressure from Republican Party leaders including former President and 2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, despite telling Axios that Congress is “broken.”
Green spoke to The News prior to his remarks where he reiterated his position on the state of Congress.
“The problem is that we [Republicans] vote our districts and the Democrats vote their ideology, so they’re in lockstep,” Green said. “We don’t have a very big majority, we don’t get a lot done, so we’ve got to win a lot of races. We need a majority in 2025, and then we can get stuff done.”
Green is facing Democratic challenger
and former Metro Nashville Mayor Megan Barry for the seat, who he called a “good campaigner.”
“We’re not taking it lightly; we’re working hard,” Green said of the race.
Green pushed back against calls from Montgomery County Democrats and veterans who have criticized him for not releasing his complete military service discharge records, known as a DD214, adding that he’s “seriously considering” releasing what he called his “stellar” records.
“People who’ve never served trying to punch me in the face because I haven’t released my DD214, screw that, I didn’t see Justin Kanew flying in the helicopter into Baghdad,” Green said. “That guy doesn’t get to ask me for my DD214.”
Kanew is Green’s former 2018
Democratic congressional opponent and the founder of the progressive media outlet The Tennessee Holler, which has amplified calls for Green to release the records.
“Some of the others [calls from fellow
veterans,] okay, maybe we will. I’m seriously considering it,” Green said.
“When the right person asks, we’ll release it just so we can stick our finger in their eye.”
When asked about the recent revelation that Nashivlle-based Tenet Media is an alleged Russian influence operation utilizing unwitting conservative podcasters, Green said he’s concerned about disinformation from all of America’s adversaries.
“There’s a lot of disinformation coming out of Russia,” Green said. “There’s disinformation coming out of China and all that’s very concerning. I will say Vladimir Putin is a bad person; he’s a murderer, and we should push back on him.”
Green called President Joe Biden a “weak, feckless leader” and characterized Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, as “just as weak” in his speech to Republican voters.
He also reiterated talking points about the U.S.’s ongoing border and immigration debate, and championed his leading of the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas earlier this year in the House. That impeachment effort later failed in the Senate.
“They [Democrats] can’t win a single election, and it’s going to take every one of you,” Green said to the crowd. “And I’m asking you right now, how much do you love this country? ...We’re a great country, and it’s worth fighting for.”
Ogles also spoke at the BBQ fundraiser following his defeat of Republican challenger Courtney Johnston in the Aug. 1 primary. He will now face Democratic challenger and Nashville activist Maryam Abolfazli in the Nov. 5 general election.
“Before we get started, if you wouldn’t
mind checking your table, I have misplaced one of my phones,” Ogles joked as he opened his speech, referring to the FBI’s recent seizure of his phone as part of a campaign finance investigation one day after his primary win.
Ogles insisted that he’s not actually the “target” of the investigation. On Sept. 3 he filed an emergency motion in federal court, in which he said he was simply a “subject” in the FBI investigation.
That court filing revealed that investigators also obtained emails and text messages between Ogles and other lawmakers, including Trump, during last year’s contentious election of a new Republican speaker of the house.
“If they can target me, a member of Congress, with a fancy little pin, then they can target anybody,” Ogles warned the crowd. “If the executive branch can tear down that wall between themselves and the legislative branch, then the Fourth Amendment goes away — There’s more at stake here than just my phone.”
“Considering that they seized my phone the day after my election, it sure seems political,” Ogles told The News, adding that he believes that the FBI “leaked” the warrant to NewsChannel 5 investigative reporter Phil Williams, who first broke the story and has published a series of stories on Ogles.
“If I’m not the target, they could have just waited until after November,” Ogles said. “Anything to do with my filings, we’ve corrected; we’ve gone out of our way. I hired a law firm to do a full audit of every transaction. I mean, we’ve corrected even clerical [errors], we’ve gone out of our way… that’s the thing, they could have just asked me [for his cell phone.]”
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
U.S. Rep. Mark Green PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Williamson County Republican Party BBQ fundraiser, Sept. 7, 2024
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Four inmates, a former corrections officer and one civilian are facing numerous charges, including conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, after a nearly yearlong drug investigation centered on the Davidson County jail system.
According to a Metro Nashville Police Department release, the investigation began after the September 2023 death of 18-year-old inmate Daniel Prisco, who was found unresponsive in a cell at the Male Correctional Development Center on Harding Place. An autopsy determined that he died of “acute fentanyl toxicity.” Prisco was under indictment and awaiting court proceedings on two counts of felony aggravated assault and two counts of felony reckless endangerment at the time of his death.
“Over the past several months, the investigation revealed a network of inmates and two others who conspired to introduce drugs into the jail system and distribute them,” the release reads.
Police identified one of the inmates as 30-year-old Emmanual Webb, who is awaiting trial on a 2023 first-degree murder indictment. Webb allegedly worked with his
“female associate on the outside,” 28-yearold Devin Popejoy, to bring drugs into jail facilities. “Among other things, Popejoy is alleged to have set up drug-related telephone conference calls between Webb and third parties during his jailhouse calls to her.”
Webb was charged in a new indictment with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, engaging in a fentanyl delivery conspiracy, two counts of conspiracy to distribute contraband in a penal institution, and two counts of fentanyl delivery. Popejoy was charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, engaging in a fentanyl delivery conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute contraband in a penal institution.
Webb and Popejoy were indicted in July on felony meth and fentanyl charges. Popejoy was free on bond in that case before she surrendered to police following the new indictment Thursday.
Former Davidson County Sheriff’s Office correctional officer Charles Kelley was also arrested in the investigation. Kelley was charged with conspiracy to commit seconddegree murder, engaging in a fentanyl delivery conspiracy, fentanyl delivery, conspiracy to deliver contraband into a penal
facility, and delivering contraband.
Kelley, 23, was employed as a correctional officer by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office in February. According to the RCSO, Kelley was “terminated immediately” following his arrest Thursday night.
Also charged in the alleged scheme are current Davidson County inmates William Sigsby (28) and Joshua Young (38), who were both charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, engaging
in a fentanyl conspiracy, fentanyl delivery, delivering contraband, and conspiracy to introduce contraband into a penal facility.
Matthew Calhoun (27), a former Davidson County inmate who is now incarcerated at the state’s Bledsoe County Correctional Facility, was charged in the new indictment with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, engaging in a fentanyl conspiracy, and conspiracy to distribute contraband in a penal institution.
Davidson County’s Male Correctional Development Center PHOTO: GOOGLE EARTH
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear rallies Davidson County Democrats ahead of general election
Davidson County Democrats rallied voters and raised more than $100,000 at the group’s Sept. 5 Fall Honors Dinner, which featured Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear as the keynote speaker.
The event drew hundreds of Democratic officials and supporters to the Loews Nashville Hotel at Vanderbilt Plaza just 61 days before the Nov. 5 general election.
“We’re going to move this country beyond the division and the anger politics that we’re seeing,” Beshear said, calling U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, a “fighter.”
“She’s going to move us beyond this unacceptable state of politics that we’re in,”
Beshear continued. She’s going to move us past the anger, pass the noise, and get us back to focusing on what really matters in people’s lives. As she says, we’re not going back, or as we say in the South, we ain’t going back, and we ain’t going back to Donald Trump trying to tear us apart.”
This was Beshear’s second official appearance in Music City this summer, following his June event with abortion rights advocate Hadley Duvall.
He was also on Harris’s vice presidential nominee short list before she announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in August.
“I didn’t win [the vice presidential
nomination], but Tim Walz is a great friend,” Beshear said. “He’s a great governor, and he’s going to be an amazing vice president. He has my full endorsement, and I’m going to help them win.”
The event saw remarks from numerous Democratic elected officials and candidates including former Nashville Mayor and 7th District congressional candidate Megan Barry, state House Democratic Chair Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville), Party Chair Dakota Galban, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, state Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Gloria Johnson and state house District 60 nominee Shaundelle Brooks, among others.
Brooks has been a vocal gun control advocate since her son Akilah DaSilva was killed in the 2018 Antioch Waffle House shooting. She led attendees in a moment of silence honoring the victims of the Sept. 4 Apalachee High School shooting, which killed two students and two teachers and injured nine others in Winder, Georgia.
“I have a message for those who say I’m too radical, who say that all I talk about is gun violence; for those who choose to support my Republican opponent because of this, I feel sorry for you,” Brooks said.
“I hope you never have to carry the weight I carry every single day,” Brooks continued. “I hope you never have to know the pain of losing a child to senseless violence, but I say this — do something. Do something to stop the bloodshed. Do something to protect our children. Do something to make sure no family has to suffer what mine has, and that’s why we must vote blue up and down the ballot.”
Special remembrances were also held for late Democratic supporters Clarice Rankins, Randy Rayburn and Edith Taylor Langster, and a slew of awards were also presented to attendees.
Those awards included the Inez Crutchfield Volunteer award given to Susan Meador; the Bill Beck Fearless Democrat award given to state Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville); the Cecil D. Branstetter award given to Central Labor Council President Vonda McDaniel; and the Chairs award given to Gary Bynum.
State Rep. Bob Freeman (D-Nashville) accepted the Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of his father Bill Freeman.
Disclosure: Bill Freeman owns FW Publishing, the parent company of The News
HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
State Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Gloria Johnson
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
State Rep. Bob Freeman (D-Nashville)
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
State House District 60 nominee Shaundelle Brooks
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Former Nashville Mayor and 7th District congressional candidate Megan Barry
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Ethics Commission dismisses complaint against Lizzette Reynolds
State Rep. Caleb Hemmer’s complaint centers on education commissioner’s out-of-state trips paid for by
KELSEY BEYELER
The Tennessee Ethics Commission on Friday dismissed a complaint against education commissioner Lizzette Reynolds in a 4-0 vote. The complaint, filed by Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville), accused Reynolds of violating state law by taking two out-of-state trips to education conferences paid for by Reynolds’ former employer and pro-privatization nonprofit ExcelinEd.
A letter from the executive director of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, William Young, explains that the commission expressed disappointment about the need to address the matter but ultimately decided it wasn’t worth investigating further because Reynolds repaid the related expenses.
“The Commission would like to make clear that it is not making a finding or conclusion regarding whether Commissioner Reynolds has knowingly violated Tenn. Code Ann. § 3-6-305 by accepting a prohibited gift from an employer of a lobbyist, either directly or indirectly,” reads the letter. “Rather, Commissioner Reynolds’ willingness to correct the potential violation, albeit without admitting any wrongdoing, is satisfactory to the Commission that no further action is necessary.”
The letter states, however, that the commission will recommend to the General Assembly that it require all members of the governor’s cabinet —including commissioners — to complete the same annual ethics training that lawmakers undergo. The commission also emphasizes the importance of consulting with its staff for guidance on relevant matters.
In a statement, Hemmer maintains that Reynolds violated state policy. He also thanks the Tennessee Ethics Commission for its work, applauds its suggestion about
ExcelinEd
ethics training and reminds the public that he can request a hearing on the matter if new information arises.
“The controversies surrounding Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds have been well documented, yet she continues to serve despite repeated indiscretions that demonstrate that [she] isn’t qualified to hold her position,” reads part of Hemmer’s statement. “I felt that I had no other option but to file the complaint after the Governor’s Office refused to rein in Commissioner Reynolds after multiple media reports and her repeated incompetence in being able to perform the basic duties of her job. …
“Based on the outcome of this case and the media reports that Governor Lee took a similar trip from an employer of a lobbyist, I will be seeking an Attorney General’s opinion to get further clarification on this issue. Additionally, I am working with our legislative attorneys and the House Ethics Counsel to update our ethics statute so employers of lobbyists can’t use separate affiliated entities to fund travel and skirt our current ethics laws. Additionally, the Governor and Cabinet officials need to be added to the state statute the requires Legislators to disclose out-of-state travel funded by outside interests.”
This is far from first time Reynolds has faced public criticism since assuming her role last summer. She is widely considered a friendly party to Gov. Bill Lee’s voucherrelated aspirations. House Democrats called for her resignation in January after highlighting that, per state law, Reynolds didn’t qualify for the position because she was not certified to teach K-12 students when she started. (Gov. Lee defended Reynolds’ qualifications.) Some have speculated about whether she lives in Tennessee or still primarily resides in Texas. She also received criticism for accepting tuition assistance she didn’t qualify for while enrolled in an education program through UT Martin. (A representative from the Tennessee Department of Education told The Tennessean that the tuition assistance was “an administrative error” and that Reynolds paid the money back.) Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), an outspoken critic of Lee’s universal voucher proposal, also called for Reynolds’ resignation after learning about the tuition assistance, noting that Reynolds struggled to answer questions from a legislative committee.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Scene.
The City of Belle Meade is covered under the Tennessee NPDES General Permit for Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Permit No. TNS000000). This permit requires the City to maintain a set of programs to manage the quality of stormwater runoff from the storm sewer systems. The Stormwater Program includes the following: public involvement/ participation activities in the calendar of events; contact information for citizen reporting of illegal spillage, dumping, or otherwise illicit disposal of materials into the stormwater system; a plan for public involvement and participation opportunities during the for developing, implementing, and updating the Stormwater Management Program; copies of all approved stormwater ordinances and annual reports to the State of Tennessee; and public access to information on new development and redevelopment projects and receiving and considering comments from the public on those new development and redevelopment projects
The City encourages public engagement in the overall Stormwater Program as well as individual construction project and actively responds to all comments and questions. The public may review and comment on all materials and information related to the City of Belle Meade Stormwater Program by going to the website https://citybellemeade.org/stormwater/
Tennessee education commissioner Lizzette Reynolds
PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS
Parnassus Books to host award-winning mystery
author Attica Locke
LOGAN BUTTS
As someone who reads news stories all day for work, I usually don’t like delving into a nonfiction book when I read for pleasure. When I’m at home, I like to disappear into a novel, specifically dark and atmospheric crime stories. Over the past decade, one of the best new voices to emerge in this field has been Attica Locke. Locke’s Highway 59 series, which began with the Edgar awardwinning Bluebird, Bluebird, is coming to a close with Guide Me Home. The trilogy revolves around Texas Ranger Darren Matthews and the cases he solves along Highway 59 in East Texas.
About the book, from the publisher:
In this stunning culmination of the award-winning Highway 59 trilogy, Detective Darren Mathews is pulled out of an early retirement to investigate the case of a missing black college student from an all-white sorority and soon finds a town that will stop at nothing to keep its secrets hidden.
Locke is going to be discussing the final entry in Matthews’ story at Parnassus at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 13. Space is limited, and registration is required. To register for the event, visit parnassusbooks.net/event/storeattica-locke-author-guide-me-home.
Harpeth Conservancy’s annual River Swing set for Sept. 21
STAFF REPORTS
Harpeth Conservancy announced that its annual River Swing is scheduled for Sept. 21. The 21st annual event will take place at River Circle Farm in Franklin.
The event will also function as a 25th anniversary celebration for Harpeth Conservancy, which has been working to ensure clean water and healthy ecosystems for the rivers in Tennessee since 1999.
During this year’s River Swing, the organization’s goal is to raise more than $725,000.
“River Swing this year will be a wonderful time to recognize some of Harpeth Conservancy’s lasting and measurable successes in restoring water quality and protecting waterways that are so special in Tennessee,” Dorie Bolze, River Swing founder and president, said in a release.
Charlotte Avenue’s Hathorne to close
Higher costs and declining number of diners contributed to the end of John Stephenson’s West Side restaurant
MARGARET LITTMAN
It is starting to sound like “second verse, same as the first.” John Stephenson, owner of the highly regarded Hathorne, announced today that his West Side casual fine dining spot will permanently close at the end of the week.
Hathorne is the latest independent restaurant in Nashville to announce plans to close its doors. Stephenson cited many of the same reasons that Mailea Weger cited last week when she announced she is closing Lou Nashville: declining sales and increased food costs. Difficulties in staffing and a few other outside factors also contributed to the end of the run for the six-year-old restaurant.
The first half of 2023 was good for the restaurant, Stephenson says, up about 30 percent over 2022. But the second half of the year slowed dramatically. Fall and preholiday winter are typically good months for restaurants, so that did not bode well. Early 2024 continued a decline, and this summer, he says, “has been brutal.” Year-to-date sales are down about 30 percent. That number would be hard for any small business to swallow, but particularly hard for restaurants, which have small margins.
Last week, the restaurant had to close for a few nights because several members of the kitchen staff contracted COVID-19. While that might not seem significant, being closed even one Saturday night was tough on the bottom line. (They experienced the same kind of hit in January when the ice storm temporarily closed many businesses.)
social media, folks have been calling and booking tables online for one last chance to eat the seasonal American menu. “We’re going to have the busiest weekend we’ve had all year,” he says.
If it is too late for you to grab a table, Stephenson has an idea. No, make that a request. “Go to one of the neighborhood gems you like but haven’t been to in a while. Put them in your regular rotation.”
Earlier this year, The News sister publication the Nashville Scene ran an article on locally owned restaurants that are often overlooked. Three of them have closed, but there are plenty of others on that list and elsewhere in town that could use your dining dollars.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Scene.
LOGAN BUTTS ASSOCIATE EDITOR
HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS NEWS REPORTER AND PHOTOJOURNALIST
NICOLLE S. PRAINO STAFF REPORTER
LISA BOLD PRODUCTION MANAGER
New Orleans cross-genre band The Revivalists will be headlining this year’s iteration, while local musician JB Strauss will perform during cocktail hour and Nashville DJ Marissa Sardar will spin records during the late night party.
River Swing will also feature a silent auction with more than 150 packages that include items such as trips, art, sporting goods, rare liquor, wellness certificates, and tickets to sporting and live entertainment events.
Guests can also expect drink stations, local vendors, multiple stages, a corn crib bar, a buffet-style dinner, and more.
The event will begin at 6 p.m., with the late party continuing until 11 p.m.
“We put so much love and work into this, I did not want to sully that by limping by at the end,” Stephenson says of the decision to close now. He didn’t want quality and service to decline over the course of a slow closure. He also wanted to be able to pay staff and the local farmers who supply the kitchen. Hathorne had been a local favorite, earning kudos in Best of Nashville and praise from reviewers nationwide.
Stephenson and his investors own the building on Charlotte Avenue that houses Hathorne. It’s a repurposed church fellowship hall and part of the vibe he tried to create there is one of community. Because he was his own landlord, he tried adjusting the rent (and also forgoing his own salary for a few months) to turn things around. He’d be open to renting the space to another restaurant that might be able to make a go of it, although he suspects selling the building is more likely.
“This weekend is one last chance to say goodbye with a smile in our hearts,” Stephenson says. In the hours since Stephenson posted about the closure on
CHELON HASTY SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER
ELIZABETH JONES CORPORATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
TODD PATTON CFO
MIKE SMITH PRESIDENT AND CEO
BILL FREEMAN OWNER
Attica Locke PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Hillsboro High student arrested for bringing a loaded gun to school STAFF
REPORTS
A Hillsboro High School freshman was arrested on Friday morning and charged with carrying a gun on school property.
According to a Metro Nashville Police news release, the unidentified 14-year-old boy allegedly took the loaded handgun from a drawer at his home, and it was later found in his bag following a tip from another student.
The student was charged in juvenile court, and no further details have been released by law enforcement.
TICKED OFF!
SCHOOLS
Dennis Farrier has talked about the first 5 things for 5 years.
The Mayor has discretionary funds.
“It is actual negligence. When you don’t take advantage of these situations that you have, especially when it is handed to you,” said South Florida security expert Ed Haynes.
1. A company called Ever Safe, Huntsville has put ballistic film on 2,400 schools, including an entire school district in Middle Tennessee.
The film works. Even AR-15’s make only small holes in the glass, which are insignificant because it is almost impossible to beat through even after the bullet holes.
2. Sheriff Weems started a crusade to get door barricades into County Schools. We joined the sheriff in his fight to get the state fire marshal to change code to allow these life-saving devices. It worked, and now these door barricades are in schools all over Tennessee. Est $590,000.
4. Brink Fidler from Defend systems trains school teachers and staff for mass shootings.
Fidler discovered in one trip to a MPNS school, that even though the school system claims to train for mass shootings, the teacher training was nonexistent or even filled with bad ideas.
No wonder 70% of teachers in a FOX
17 News survey said they were inadequately trained for a mass shooting.
5. In Georgia, every classroom has a Stop The Bleed kit. It has been established that many children who die in school shootings could have been saved if tourniquets and training had been available in those classrooms.
Georgia hasn’t had a school shooting prior to 9/3/2024 but, has saved three lives with the kits.
“I mean you really could teach it in less than five minutes. If you save one life it is worth all the trouble,” said Georgia school nurse Kathy Gregory.
6. After this newest shooting Sept. 4th, In Georgia, the two things to add to TN schools and schools across America are buttons on teacher and staffs name tags that call the police. This is why police were able to get to the school so quickly.
7. The door locks that the Georgia school has will
That wouldn’t let anyone back into the classroom without someone in the classroom opening the door.
The comments in the Ticked Off column do not reflect the views of FW Publishing.
How Nashville teachers are supporting students with interrupted formal education
An MNPS program assists students who are new to the U.S. and hav e gone without schooling for two or more years
KELSEY BEYELER
In a district as big as Metro Nashville Public Schools, it can be easy to forget the many diverse needs students bring to the classroom — and the many avenues the district takes in attempting to address them.
MNPS’ Students with Interrupted Formal Education program is designed to assist students who have gone without schooling for two or more years. Because SIFE students are typically also new to the country, the program focuses on everything from getting them acquainted with Nashville and its school system to teaching English, catching students up academically and connecting them with community resources. It’s an effort that requires schoolwide input, from bus drivers to teachers. But throughout the district, school staff members are eager to find ways to better support the students.
SIFE students represent a small portion of MNPS’ population of English learners. According to MNPS data, 29 percent (23,976) of the district’s students have limited English proficiency, meaning they are active English learners or have transitioned out of the EL program between one and four years ago. More than 130 different languages are represented in this group, from Swahili to Haitian Creole, Burmese, Spanish and Arabic.
MNPS EL coordinator Megan Trcka supervises the district-wide SIFE program
and tells the Scene there are currently 93 students enrolled — but the program expects the number to grow closer to 300 by the end of the school year. New students arrive frequently; they could be refugees whose schooling was interrupted by conflict, children whose families lived in rural areas without access to consistent education, youth who came to the country as unaccompanied minors, or those who had to forgo education to work and support their families.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 require students who are learning English to “participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs.” That means they must receive regular schooling while they’re learning English, and that’s where SIFE teachers come in — they provide extra support to both students and their fellow teachers. This includes weaving English instruction throughout the curriculum, using phrases from students’ native languages, inserting learning supports like adding visual aides above words, and addressing the social and emotional needs of the students, who oftentimes have experienced trauma.
The Scene recently visited two of the district’s eight SIFE locations: Antioch High School and John Early Museum Magnet Middle School. SIFE classrooms are
decorated with flags representing El Salvador, Burundi, Honduras, Uganda, Kenya and more. In one classroom, books about each student’s native country are on display, and a sign features the phrase, “You can do hard things,” in their native languages. SIFE classes create safe spaces for students to work through new challenges with classmates experiencing similar circumstances — led by teachers who are specially trained to support them. But like any program in a large school district, it’s not perfect. More resources are always needed, and the SIFE program lasts for only a year after students arrive. After that, students often switch to zoned schools and lose some specialized services.
SIFE teacher Addison Barrack created a program to address that issue. She wants to make sure students don’t feel like they’ve been, as she puts it, “shot out of a cannon and then told to sink or swim.” Through the Nashville Public Education Foundation’s Teacherpreneur program — which helps cohorts of teachers develop and pitch ideas to compete for seed funding and cash prizes — Barrack was able to implement the SIFE Transition Facilitator program. NPEF funding and partial buy-in from the district has allowed the program to continue past its pilot year, though Barrack says she’s looking for more grants to sustain the work in future years. (Applications for the Teacherpreneur program open in the fall.)
Through the SIFE Transition Facilitator program, teachers take on a few extra hours
of work each week to check in with former SIFE students who opt into the program. Through a case-management approach, SIFE Transition Facilitators monitor students’ attendance rates and grades, visit their homes, facilitate tutoring and goal setting, inform students about extracurricular options, check in with their teachers and more. A program impact report shows that participating students saw academic improvement, better attendance rates, more engagement with their schools and increased social confidence.
“I feel good about school,” one of the program’s sixth-grade students is quoted as saying in the impact report. “I can talk to my teachers more than before. … I ask for help more now like, ‘How do you say this word?’ My grades got better because the teachers teach me and help me.”
Despite the challenges SIFE students have faced, they bring many wonderful attributes with them, enriching the schools they attend and Nashville as a whole. Barrack says her students’ resiliency, enthusiasm and optimism inspire her, and celebrating wins each day brings much joy and excitement.
“The goal is for them to feel that way all of the time, and feel successful and proud of themselves, and to feel welcomed and accepted and celebrated,” says Barrack.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Scene.
SIFE teacher Addison Barrack PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND
Napier Elementary School PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS
Renewal errors causing problems for TennCare recipients
Patients still learning of lost coverage in large-scale post-pandemic unwinding
HANNAH HERNER
A judge ruled last week that thousands of people had been removed from the TennCare roll illegally. That case was filed before the COVID-19 pandemic paused the insurance provider’s yearly enrollment churn.
Now health care advocacy group Tennessee Justice Center (one of the parties in the 2020 lawsuit) is reckoning with the latest round of patients wrongfully terminated as part of the insurance provider’s latest redetermination. Many TennCare users are still finding out they lost coverage because they didn’t know it was gone until they needed to use it.
From April 2023 through March, more than 500,000 were terminated from the TennCare roll following a restatement of yearly eligibility evaluations after more than three years on pause. Confusion and clerical errors impeded the process, as the Post reported, while “Obamacare” enrollment spiked.
One person affected is Nashville resident Zahira Rodriguez, who did not know that her TennCare coverage was terminated until she took her son, who has diabetes, to the emergency room in July.
“I said, why? Because I sent everything — papers, documents — for the renewal,” she told the Post. “I sent everything in, and never had problems.”
Having been enrolled in TennCare for nine years, Rodriguez knew the redetermination process was coming and completed the necessary packet. TennCare received the initial packet via mail, but an additional request for proof of residency for her minor children got lost in the shuffle. She’s one of the more than 40,000 in the state who had the same experience, completing the initial packet, but not completing additional documents, at least in TennCare’s eyes. In addition, TennCare states more than 325,000 did not respond to the packet.
Because of the lapse in coverage, Rodriguez amassed $5,000 in medical bills — not to mention the care she didn’t access because she could not afford it.
Tennessee Justice Center advocates sent an appeal as well as a new application that was ultimately approved, but are still working to get her coverage backdated. Katherine Zelaya, Insure Our Kids program client advocate, tells the Post that retroactive coverage is something TennCare allows, including in Rodriguez’s case, but it does not always come through.
“I think a lot of families know they have to do a renewal packet, and that’s about it,” Zelaya said. “I think the additional information request — a lot of people
may not be aware that there’s another step. Sending that renewal packet may not necessarily renew your coverage. It’s not clear.”
Michele Johnson, executive director of Tennessee Justice Center, points out in the final unwinding report from TennCare that 72 percent of those who lost coverage were not deemed ineligible, but were denied coverage because they did not complete the paperwork. Or, she asserts, they did not receive notice or they responded, and TennCare did not receive it.
“When you have this mass administrative thing, you expect there to be mistakes like that,” she said. “What you don’t expect is TennCare’s position. … If we bring things to their attention, people are not being put back on.”
Johnson argues that people who have yet to receive a packet should be able to retain coverage until they get their packet at the correct address. Members can reapply, but that process can take months.
It gets more complicated with appealable issues. Even if a person never received a packet, they have 90 days to appeal losing their coverage, and often times that window has closed.
“You can’t cut someone off without first giving someone notice, and if [TennCare
Advertising industry titan dies at 83
staff] admit that the notice was sent to the wrong place, that is the very definition of what would be an appealable issue. But TennCare says it’s not an appealable issue, and so therefore people are cut off improperly” Johnson told the Post.
TennCare spokesperson Amy Lawrence told The News sister publication the Nashville Post in a statement: “TennCare maintains open lines of communication with the advocacy community, including the Tennessee Justice Center. If they ever encountered an issue that couldn’t be resolved through the normal processes, such as appeals, outreach to TennCare can provide a resolution.”
The proliferation of clerical errors is not different from what’s been happening before the pandemic, Johnson said. Still, one improvement is a computer system launched in 2019 that patients can log on to track if they are covered, when they are set to renew their coverage and whether TennCare received their packet. Tennessee Justice Center does this on behalf of many of its clients What makes the past year or so different than before is that it involved more people — 500,000 or so who are now without coverage.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Post.
Jeffrey Buntin Sr. started eponymously named local company in 1972 STAFF
REPORTS
Local advertising industry giant Jeffrey Buntin Sr. — known for his long-standing service to the community and his strong business acumen — died Saturday of undisclosed causes.
He was 83.
According to a release, Buntin served as chairman of the eponymously named Buntin (stylized as “BUNTIN”), a Nashville-based advertising agency he founded 52 years ago. Buntin retired as CEO in 2004 but continued working with the company, most recently from its Railyard District office located near downtown and at which he could be found multiple days each week.
Buntin founded what was then called Buntin Advertising in 1972 via a $5,000 loan, the release notes. Today, Buntin claims $230 million in capitalized billings, with its clients including (or having included) Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Dollar General, HCA, Tractor Supply Company and Captain D’s, among others.
In addition, Buntin founded Buntin Out-
of-Home Media in 1990 and was responsible for guiding the development of software platform GeoTrak in 1999.
During his career, Buntin earned an Outdoor Advertising Association of America Lifetime Achievement Award for marketing innovation in 2023 and was inducted into the OAAA Hall of Fame. In addition to numerous Clio, Addy and Film Festival creative awards, he was named Outstanding Southeastern Advertising Executive of the Year by ADWEEK Magazine. He was a past president of the Nashville Advertising Federation and received a Nashville Advertising Silver Medal honor for leadership within the industry.
Similarly, Buntin was an original organizer and owner of Channel 17, WZTV; was a founder of Hawkins Street Productions, known for its Home to the Ryman on TNN; was a founding partner in TravelMasters Inc., a high-end travel agency eventually sold to American Express Travel; and was an owner of various Captain D’s
Seafood Restaurants in Texas and Kentucky.
Buntin served as both president and chairman of the board of the Tennessee Repertory Theater and as a board member of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Public Television, Ensworth School and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. He also was a member of the Downtown Rotary Club and Leadership Nashville.
In 2021, Belmont University announced the establishment of the Jeffrey Buntin Sr. Award for Creative Ventures, given to Belmont students seeking to start creative businesses.
Through AdHope, the Buntin charitable arm, thousands of Nashville-area residents have received donations and in-kind charitable giving totaling almost $5 million.
“He loved our industry until the end and never found anything that inspired him more than the opportunity to help a client, the power of a creative idea, or the environment of an agency to meet and be with interesting, fun people,” Jeffrey Buntin Jr., Buntin CEO,
Jeffrey Buntin Sr. as seen in an undated photograph PHOTO: BUNTIN
said in the release. Funeral arrangements were not included in the release.
The Nashville area saw 3,086 home closings in August — a 6 percent decrease from the figure of August 2023, when 3,305 residences changed ownership hands.
$500,000 figure three straight months.
The median price for a condominium in August was $349,990, essentially unchanged from the $350,000 figure of the same month and $339,990, respectively. There were 2,603 sales pending at the end of August, compared to 2,607 pending sales at the conclusion of August 2023.
inventory, GNR statistics show.
The release notes the average number of days on the market for a residence in August was 46 days. The mark was 42 days for July. For context, February registered 59 days and January recorded 57. In 2023, homes often sold in no more than 40 days.
A conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is offering an interest rate of about 6.4 percent, according to online source themortgagereports.com. It had been 6.7 percent in July and was 7.2 percent in May, Forbes reports.
“While the number of home sales were down slightly compared to August of last year, the decline in interest rates over the past 30 days have brought buyers back into the market,” Kevin Wilson, Greater Nashville Realtors president, said in the release.
“The pending sales for the month is an encouraging indicator of the rising direction of the market.”
The GNR data was collected from Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Maury,
Q&A: Angie Hubbard, Faith Based Development Institute City to receive $5M federal grant to organize new housing on church land
HANNAH HERNER
For Nashville, one of the biggest barriers to building new housing is land availability. Faith-based organizations, on the other hand, often have land to spare.
That is the focus of a $5 million grant from the White House and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city will form a Faith Based Development Institute through using the money from the inaugural round of the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing Program, for which Nashville was one of 21 chosen out of 175 applicants. It’s also the first grant award for the Metro Housing Division, which was launched in January 2022.
Angie Hubbard, director of the housing division, said congregations often do not
know where to start if they are approached by a developer, or wish to leverage some of their unused land. She spoke with The News sister publication the Nashvile Post about plans for the $5 million.
WILL THE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS SELL THE LAND TO METRO OR MAKE SOME SORT OF LEASE AGREEMENT?
Metro would not have any ownership or development role at all. This would be for [congregations] to partner with a nonprofit or for-profit developer. They can control the land. There are different models where they could keep the land and lease it to a developer. We’re just creating a connection or an institute to bring them all together: congregations that are looking to develop their land, with mission-driven affordable housing developers who are looking for places to build housing.
There’s everything from you could sell your land to you could put it in a land trust, you could do a ground lease. There are different legal structures there. If you want to do rental or home ownership. There will be a menu of ways that they could evaluate on what would be the best model that worked for what they wanted to accomplish.
Clark UMC created a community development corporation to handle their recently completed affordable housing units. Is that an example of how this could work?
There are several other community development corporations that have been [Barnes Affordable Housing Trust Fund] recipients for a while that have been affiliated
Firm with Nashville ties wins contract to study Music City Center expansion
Five-year deal looks at several factors on how to move forward
STAFF REPORTS
Music City Center President and CEO
Charles Starks announced the award of a contract to HVS for a feasibility study to determine the need for expansion of the convention center.
According to a news release, HVS is a global hospitality and consulting services firm, and beat seven qualified vendors to win the five-year contract.
“This is the first step in a long process to determine if we need to expand,” Starks said in the release. “We’re turning away business because we simply don’t have the space. We know the customer demand is there, but we need to take a closer look.”
with congregations, but they haven’t necessarily built on land that that those congregations own. This is a real opportunity to actually turn land that congregations own into housing.
Probably the reason why that hasn’t happened much is just like any organization, there’s a governance and institutional structure that the congregation — or their elders or deacons, or whomever their governing structure is — may have to vote on something, or it may have to go all the way up to a national body. Not being in the development space, it’s hard to have those conversations with people in the decision-making seats without showing them, ‘This is how we’re going to do it.’
We know what we’re doing. This is a really good deal. That’s what we want to empower congregation to be able to do — to get those approvals and the support within their governance structure.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER ASPECTS TO THE PRO PROGRAM, INCLUDING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE PROGRAM. CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT?
That’s what we call, making funding. We’rew going to use a portion of that to really make funding available to make more deeply affordable units. That’s deeply affordable for people from zero to 30 percent of our area median income for permanent supportive housing. Any time we can get resources to continue to create more housing for persons experiencing homelessness, we want to use the money for that.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCELERATOR PROGRAM.
That’s geared toward BIPOC and emerging developers, and that’s a very similar situation. It’s not really associated with land as much as a lot of our housing inequities — especially racial inequities — that have been long-standing in Nashville and around the country. Many of the developers and contractors don’t look like people in the communities where homes are being built. We want to empower BIPOC developers to be able to build in communities where they live, and also to have economic benefits from the housing construction that’s happening in our city.
There are some long-standing barriers to that, such as capacity, just being able to compete for government contracts or even private contracts. This accelerator program is aimed to provide technical assistance to BIPOC developers.
METRO OWNS LAND THAT IT COULD DEVELOP. WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO FINDING OTHER LAND RATHER THAN USING LAND THAT METRO HAS?
The mayor issued an executive order. … It was to establish a special project committee around looking Metro land for housing opportunities or how we can include housing with some other community and public assets. We are certainly tracking along with evaluating where we can utilize Metro land, in addition to all of these other efforts.
Thurman named Nashville’s first director of the Waste Services Department
STAFF REPORTS
According to the release, the study’s objective is to provide information to be considered when evaluating the need for expansion. This would include analysis of market trends, competitive facilities, hotel accommodations, and meeting space.
Music City Center opened in May 2013 and has hosted 2,534 events, with an attendance record of 4.9 million people. That equates to $4.1 billion in direct economic impact, according to the release.
HVS has an office on Woodland Street.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Post.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell has announced Tracey Thurman will be the city’s first director of the Waste Services Department.
According to a release, Thurman was previously the director of solid waste in Lexington, Kent. for 10 years.
The new city department was a campaign promise of O’Connell’s since solid waste services were moved to the Metro Water Services Department after the creation of the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure.
Thurman will oversee the new Waste Services Department in both trash and recycling collection. Thurman’s previous department served 96,000 residents and 4,000 businesses. She managed a $42 million
budget as well as more than 200 members in the department.
“Trash and recycling collection are vital city services important to the quality of life for Nashville residents,” O’Connell said in the release. “Tracey’s leadership and experience in solid waste makes her an excellent inaugural director to stand up a new Waste Services department and deliver the reliability and convenience Nashvillians deserve.”
Thurman is a graduate of Belmont University. She has served four terms on the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Municipal Waste Management Association.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Post.
Angie Hubbard PHOTO: METRO HOUSING DIVISION
Predators re-sign two as training camp nears
Parssinen and Del Gaizo return on one-year
JOHN GLENNON
contracts
The Predators on Monday continued to take care of off-ice business as training camp nears.
Nashville signed a pair of its restricted free agents — forward Juuso Parssinen and defenseman Marc Del Gaizo — to new contracts.
Parssinen returns on a one-year, one-way $775,000 deal, while Del Gaizo now has a one-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 at the NHL level.
The Predators have only one unsigned player — forward Philip Tomasino — remaining on the roster as the team readies for Sept. 19, its first training camp day on the ice.
Parssinen, 23, will be looking to bounce back after he was demoted to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League in late January of last season. He’d scored 12 points (eight goals, four assists) for Nashville in 44 games at the time. A seventh-round draft pick in 2019, Parssinen played well for the Admirals, totaling 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 36 games. He eventually returned to the Predators playoff lineup for one game.
The 24-year-old Del Gaizo, a fourthround pick in 2019, made his NHL debut last season, posting three assists, 10 blocks
and 20 hits in nine games for Nashville. A 5-11, 188-pound New Jersey native, Del Gaizo totaled 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists) in 60 games at Milwaukee last season.
Parssinen will once again be a restricted free agent at the end of this contract, while Del Gaizo will be an unrestricted free agent.
Nashville’s two signings leave the team with about $1.5 million in cap space, per PuckPedia.com.
Tomasino, a first-round pick in 2019, collected 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 41 games for the Preds last season, but was demoted to the AHL in February. He finished the year in Milwaukee, notching 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) in 22 games for the Admirals.
The Predators’ first rookie camp practice was Wednesday at Ford Ice Bellevue, with the first rookie game scheduled for Sept. 13 against Florida.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Post.
Ten takeaways from Titans’ season-opening loss to Bears Tennessee blows three-score lead in 24-17 defeat at Chicago
JOHN
GLENNON
What began to look like a dream debut for Titans coach Brian Callahan instead turned into a disastrous opening-day loss Sunday.
The Titans all but gave away the game in a 24-17 defeat to the Chicago Bears, blowing a 17-point lead in large part by surrendering one defensive touchdown and one specialteams touchdown.
It was a less-than-sterling start for a Titans offense that had added running back Tony Pollard, receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, and linemen JC Latham and Lloyd Cushenberry during the offseason — part of Tennessee’s free-agent spending spree of more than $300 million.
The defense did its part, holding the Bears to just three field goals, two of which came on drives that started inside the Titans’ 40-yard line.
But quarterback Will Levis and the Titans’ offense were absolutely stifled in the second half, as Chicago rattled off 24 straight points to claim victory.
Here are 10 quick takeaways from the Titans’ loss:
Second-half meltdown — The Titans took a 17-3 lead into the locker room at halftime, thanks to a stifling defensive performance, a strong running attack and Will Levis’ touchdown pass to tight end Chig Okonkwo. The Bears mustered just 50 yards of offense in the first half and were 0-for-6 on third-down conversions. But the second half was a complete meltdown for the Titans on offense and special teams. Tennessee allowed two touchdowns — one on a blocked punt and one on an interception taken to the end zone — and Chicago scored 24 straight points for the win. The Titans committed three turnovers in the second half.
Offense evaporates — The Titans got off to a solid start offensively, running for 115 yards on 16 carries and posting 179 total yards en route to a 17-0 advantage. Tennessee dominated the time of possession, holding an edge of 18:56 to 11:04. But the offense dried up completely in the second half. The Titans mustered just 65 yards of offense, picked up four first downs, went
1-for-8 on third downs and committed three turnovers — one fumble lost and two interceptions. The running game that had looked so good for two quarters produced 11 carries for 24 yards in the final two quarters.
Levis shaky — In his first game under Callahan, Levis produced what was likely the worst game of his two-year pro career. He did throw the touchdown pass to Okonkwo, but that was overshadowed by a lost fumble — on a blindside hit that he didn’t see coming — and two interceptions. The first pick was a complete disaster, as Levis — while falling down — tried to flip the ball out of bounds. Instead, Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson took the interception 43 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. Levis finished 19-for-32 for 127 yards, posting a 52.5 quarterback rating.
Special teams failures — Needless to say, it was not an auspicious start for special teams coordinator Colt Anderson and his unit. The big blow came early in the third
quarter with the Titans ahead 17-3, as Daniel Hardy blocked Ryan Stonehouse’s punt, allowing Jonathan Owens to take the ball 21 yards to the end zone for a momentum-changing touchdown. But that wasn’t the only bad play from the special teams. The Titans also yielded a 67-yard kickoff return that resulted in a Bears a field goal, and gave up punt returns of 16 and 20 yards. In addition, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was called for an illegal block above the waist on a Titans punt return. The only positive was Julius Chestnut’s recovery of a Bears kickoff fumble.
Missed connections — Wide receiver Calvin Ridley’s 50 yards on three receptions led the Titans’ pass-catchers, but there were some critical misses between Levis and Ridley. Levis badly underthrew an open Ridley deep over the middle on one Titans first-half drive, nearly resulting in an interception. On another first-half drive, Ridley was open deep down the left sideline, but Levis’ throw was out of bounds. On one throw in the second half, >> PAGE 15
Juuso Parssinen PHOTO: JOHN RUSSELL, NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Ridley was running deep on the right side, but Levis threw a back-shoulder catch that was nowhere near him. It was clear that someone — either Levis or Ridley — had made a mistake.
What a drive — We will give the Titans credit for putting together two strong touchdown drives, going 79 yards in eight plays to take a 10-0 lead and going 83 yards in 10 plays to establish a 17-0 advantage. The second touchdown drive was especially
impressive, as the Titans overcame three penalties, converted three third downs (including a third-and-15 pass from Levis to Ridley), converted one fourth down and took 8:23 off the clock. Levis capped it with the 17-yard pass Okonkwo, who outbattled a Bears defender in the end zone. Things looked so good at the time.
Confusing the kid — Rookie Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams came out on top in his first NFL start, bucking a trend that had seen first overall picks go 0-14-1 in their debut games since 2002. But Williams certainly wasn’t the reason for Chicago’s victory, as he struggled against Dennard Wilson’s defense. Williams completed just 14-of-29 passes for 93 yards and zero touchdowns, posting a quarterback rating of 55.7. The former Southern Cal star led Chicago to a mere 148 yards, an average of 2.8 yards per play.
Sweat makes his mark — Titans rookie defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat was not credited with a single tackle against the Bears, but he had a big impact on the interior of the defensive line — especially in the first half. Sweat’s penetration blew up a number of the Bears’ running and passing plays, allowing teammates to clean up with tackles. Overall, the defensive line was one
of the strengths for the Titans, as it limited Chicago to 84 rushing yards on 22 carries (3.8-yard average). On one play, Jeffery Simmons’ pressure occupied three Chicago blockers and resulted in a Harold Landry sack. On another play, Keondre Coburn’s interior pressure led to a sack by Sebastian Joseph-Day.
Penalty problems — The Titans were flagged eight times for 50 penalty yards. Four of those penalties came before the ball was snapped. There were three false starts — one each on JC Latham, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Okonkwo — as well as a defensive penalty for 12 men on the field.
Hopkins quiet — Questionable coming into the game with a knee injury that he suffered in late July, Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins was limited to about 15 plays, per Callahan. He caught the only pass thrown his way, for an eight-yard gain, which extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one catch to 163. But Hopkins wasn’t a factor in the game. That should change as Hopkins gets his conditioning back. He led the Titans with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
This article was first published by our sister publication the Nashville Post.
Will Levis PHOTO: TENNESSEE TITANS
Pesto Time!
BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE
With the basil high and starting to seed, and late summer peppery arugula in, it’s time for pesto. Pesto is amazingly versatile. While pine nuts are traditional, they’re expensive and we use walnuts, pecans or almonds almost as much. Any combination
of greens works as well. Half arugula, half basil. Toss in some mint or parsley or even kale too. Toss with pasta, pizza, use as a dip, or...well you know what to do. More recipes using pesto at ediblenashville.com
INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup pine nuts (or almonds, walnuts or pecans)
4 cups fresh arugula leaves (or basil)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
1. Place garlic cloves in a blender or food processor., pulse. Add pine nuts, pulse. Add arugula (or parsley, basil or spinach) and pulse until finely chopped. Slowly add 1/3 cup olive oil and blend. Scrape into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup ParmigianoReggiano cheese, a squeeze of fresh lemon and salt to taste. Makes 2 cups.
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese salt to taste
ACROSS
1 Rhyme of 49-Across, but not a homophone of 19-Across
5 On the ___
8 Rhyme of 46-Across, but not a homophone of 21-Across
12 Key that might be part of a chain
13 Olay competitor
15 Spaniard’s “other”
16 Opposite of hopping
17 Customer ser vice worker
18 “Ser ves you right!”
19 Main branch of a tree
21 It gets baked
23 Take a break
24 Not on board with
25 Evaluate for purity
28 Like Plan B, for short
30 Wee
34 Marshland
35 “___ Choice”
38 “Another sheep pun? ___ gotta be kidding!”
39 F ield for grazing
40 Everglades wader
41 Shade
42 Gun-regulating grp.
43 By way of
45 I.C.U. staffers
46 Attention-getting sound
48 Sounds of sympathy
49 Uneven
51 Conditional words
53 Pacific ___
2. Toss with hot cooked cavatappi (penne or rigatoni) and fresh shelled peas (or edamame or fava beans). Serves 4.
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.
54 Unfair outcome, informally
58 Corkscrew-shaped pasta
62 A pop star might go by this
63 Stay away (from)
64 Used as a platform
65 More timid
66 Rhyme of 19-Across, but not a homophone of 46-Across
67 Heavy-hearted
68 Denver-to-Omaha dir.
69 Rhyme of 43-Across, but not a homophone of 49-Across DOWN
1 Put in an offer
2 Avail
3 Exerciser’s target
4 Classic accessor y for Humphrey Bogart
5 Many a Gilbert and Sullivan work
6 Park in N.Y.C., e.g.
7 Untruthful
8 Pooch
9 “Conversely …,” in a text
10 Not to
11 It doesn’t stay hot for long
13 Keeps at
14 Lots
20 Remedies for missed turns
22 Native Coloradans
25 Insurer with an avian mascot
26 Take care of
27 Real mess
29 Rhyme of 21-Across, but not a homophone of 43-Across
31 Leader who wrote “The Discovery of India”
32 Totally shifted the momentum of
33 “Hoo-boy!”
36 Exclamation of understanding
37 Subj. taught by Fulbright scholars
43 Clothing , colloquially
44 Serious workplace problem, for short
47 “Puh-lease!”
50 Leaves out
52 Island countr y that’s 24 hours ahead of its closest neighbor
53 Apply, as sunscreen
54 Brownish pear
55 “Once more ___ the breach”
56 Communicate like a Sphynx
57 Give for a time
58 “___ is ver y agreeable, but the bad thing is that it goes on 24 hours a day”: Gabriel García Márquez
59 Leopard’s spot
60 Place
61 Memo line
ANSWER TO PUZZLE
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PUZZLE BY MEGHAN MORRIS
SERVICE & MAINTENANCE
WOODMONT BAPTIST CHURCH
21st Annual River Swing
Patron Party
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
On August 22nd, Harpeth Conservancy hosted its annual Patron Party at The Bedford Nashville, a venue renowned for its historic charm, rustic brick walls, and dazzling chandelier. The event was attended by over 100 of Harpeth Conservancy’s most dedicated supporters including Harpeth Protection Society Members, River Swing Sponsors, River Swing Committee Members, River Swing table hosts, and other honored guests. Patron Party, sponsored by Harpeth Architects and Whitestone Enterprises, not only celebrated the supporters who make Harpeth Conservancy’s mission possible but also set the stage and served as a vital kickoff celebration for the upcoming award-winning fundraiser, River Swing, taking place on September 21st at River Circle Farm in Franklin.
The Bedford Nashville, adorned in an elegant country style by Hearts of the Harpeth’s Jennifer Carrell and Traci Butts, featured exquisite fresh greens and delicate flowers that complemented the venue’s rustic
charm. Guests mingled and enjoyed the ambiance while sampling curated small bites by Martin’s BBQ. The signature cocktail of the evening, The Mabon, offered guests a preview of River Swing. The Mabon is named after the mid-harvest festival to honor the changing of the seasons, celebrate the second harvest, and appreciate abundance. Patron Party also offered guests a sneak peek at the upcoming River Swing silent auction by showcasing a smaller selection of items. Attendees placed early bids on these exclusive packages, which included a Jack Daniel’s Distillery tour with lunch at Mary Bobo’s, a coveted liquor bundle courtesy of Lipman Brothers, YETI, a silver and pearl necklace from Barn Girl Jewelry who will be on-site at River Swing with fun equestrian accessories, and more. Plus, guests were treated to a special preview of the featured artwork “Fierce” by Lisa Moore, which will be available at the full silent auction during River Swing.
Lindsey Roberts, and Don and Teri Gentilcore
Ashley Holt and Paul Allen
Collins Horton
Mary Margaret and Peter Bourbeau, Haylee Waddey-Hall, and David Frazier
Dorie Bolze, DeeDee Wade and Layton Meng
Jeni Housley, and Gene and Marnie Cotton
William Carrol
SOCIAL
Danie and Elizabeth Whitson, Dorie Bolze, and Debbie Layman
Grace Stranch and John Guider Irving Martin and Rachel Robinson
Dorie Bolze, Jason Holleman, Grace Stranch, and Courtney Lagines
Seaver Harp, Christie Roth, Jennifer Carell, and Traci Butts
Sharon Bell, Brenda Black and Debbie Layman
Jeni and Gray Housley
Michelle Nowell and Emily Humphreys
Ted Clayton, Layton Meng, and Jess Martin
Book your appointment:
CECIL ELROD
615-556-2196
Luxury home listed in Green Hills Quiet neighborhood, Convenient location
HOME FEATURES
Stunning Green Hills 5,800 s.f., gated, 5-bedroom, 5-bath, modern home available on 4404 Shys Hill Rd. Minutes to downtown Nashville while also providing the conveniences of Nashville’s premiere neighborhood, including: Green Hills Mall, popular restaurants, boutiques, and excellent private and public schools.
Serious inquires only contact:
CECIL ELROD
615-556-2196 celrod@realtracs.com
MLS#2685688
Tell us about it!
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TODAY
Are you in the know about what’s going on down the street or on the corner? Anyone ever call you nosy? Have good writing skills?
Five free and cheap family things to do in Middle Tennessee
AMANDA HAGGARD
As we near fall, or at least feel the false fall upon us, we’ve not quite hit peak fall festival weekends yet, but there are several ways to get the family out for cheap this week. You can check out Hispanic Heritage Day down in Murfreesboro with free entry at the Discovery Center. There’s a touch-atruck event over at the Adventure Science Center with free entry to the event, but not to the facility itself. There’s a cheap way to flex your family’s art skills at Turnip Green Creative Reuse. Over in Franklin, the Williamson County Ag Expo Park is hosting a flea market. And then in the DonelsonHermitage area, you can check out all the best food the area has to offer.
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:
HISPANIC HERITAGE DAY
Be a neighborhood news ambassador for
Looking for a few neighbors who want to write about interesting things happening in your neighborhood. Specific neighborhoods of interest are Brentwood, Franklin, Spring Hill, Nolensville, Bellevue, West Meade, Green Hills. Yes, you need to have some writing chops; extra credit if you’ve contributed to a newspaper at some point! Interested?
Email neighbornews@theNEWStn.com and let us know what neighborhood you are interested in and include a few writing samples.
The Discovery Center in Murfreesboro invites folks to come for free and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event includes special activities as well as the regular fun that comes with the science museum for kids. There’s also a great little playground outside and plenty of room to get fresh air on the trails around the center.
TOUCH-A-TRUCK
At Adventure Science Center, they begin their semiannual Touch-a-Truck event on Sept. 14 with a quiet hour from 9-10 a.m. Outside of that hour, expect lots of honking, beeping, and sirens. The center recommends
wearing noise-canceling headphones if you’re sensitive to loud noises as children and their caregivers will have a chance to see and touch heavy machinery utilized in the construction industry and speak with the people who operate them. The event does not include admission to the Adventure Science Center, and it is held in the parking area across the street from the center.
TASTE OF DONELSON-HERMITAGE
If your family considers themselves local foodies, the Taste of Donelson-Hermitage offers the chance to check out some local flavors, art and music on Sept. 14 from 5-8 p.m. at The Hermitage. The event isn’t free, but it offers a great way to check out a lot of local favorites in one location.
TGCR’S SEPTEMBER CRAFT NIGHT
Turnip Green Creative Reuse is inviting folks in for a September Craft night on Sept. 18 from 5:15-7:15 p.m. Craft lovers can join fellow crafters to make one-of-akind treasures using items from the Creative Reuse Center.
FRANKLIN FLEA MARKET
The Franklin Flea Market on Sept. 14-15 includes more than 500 indoor and outdoor vendor booths open nearly all day. The event has free entry and will be held at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park in Franklin. Parking near the event cost $5.
plant Manager(s)
Marangoni Tread North America Inc. seeks Plant Manager(s) in Madison, TN to manage plant operations, supervise and coordinate activities of production and operating workers at tire retread plant. Job requires 5 years of experience in tire manufacturing or retreading. Email CV to k.williams@ mtna-us.com; reference job code T4254-00008. E.O.E.
In THE NEWS
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