Nashville, TN – Tennesse pastors condemn today’s Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 500,000 legal refugees from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The pastors characterized the decision as racially motivated, morally indefensible, and a direct violation of Christian teachings about welcoming strangers and protecting the vulnerable. Rev. Robin Lovett-Owen, Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Nashville, released a video statement in which she called the decision “a betrayal of our nation’s values and it’s a direct contradiction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” emphasizing that the affected individuals “did everything we asked of them.…
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Names of companies who took taxpayer-funded handout goes public May 31 NASHVILLE—Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, issued a statement today encouraging taxpayers to look up who profited from Gov. Bill Lee’s billion-dollar corporate tax refund scheme. The program was included in a 2024 law that authorized the state to handout up to $1.5 billion in franchise tax “refunds” to property-rich corporations. A record-breaking annual tax cut for property-rich corporations was also included in the legislation. Starting May 31, for just 30 days, the Department of Revenue will post the names of businesses that received taxpayer-funded checks. This moment offers a rare…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A tree dedication ceremony was held this week at Bordeaux Gardens Park to honor the memory of Commander Anthony McClain, a respected leader in North Nashville and longtime member of the Metro Nashville Police Department. McClain, who died in February at age 53 after complications from a heart attack suffered in his office, devoted 27 years to MNPD and was widely admired both within the department and the community he served. The tree serves as a living tribute in the park, a space his wife Gayla says reflects her husband’s love for the neighborhood. “It provides a…
he Office of Mayor Freddie O’Connell has reached an agreement with Merus (formerly Al Neyer) to redevelop the Rivergate Mall site that sits on 57 acres in Goodlettsville. The development is expected to revitalize the area with multifamily housing, townhomes for sale, senior housing, retail, restaurant, sports and entertainment facilities, medical office, general office, and hotels, along with other improvements and public infrastructure. “We can take the lessons we’ve learned from the Global Mall redevelopment in Antioch and the Bellevue Mall to revitalize another space that is no longer serving the community well,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell said. “With a development…
The Tennessee Supreme Court held that the Quality Improvement Committee (“QIC”) privilege is waivable. Under Tennessee law, healthcare organizations may form a QIC to evaluate patient care. The statute, Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-272(c)(1), protects any records and statements “relating to activities of a QIC” from discovery. The plaintiff, Payton Castillo, brought a negligence lawsuit on behalf of her deceased husband, Marshal Castillo, against various healthcare providers and organizations who were involved in Mr. Castillo’s care, including CHI Memorial Hospital (“Memorial”). After Mr. Castillo’s death, Memorial formed a QIC to evaluate the quality of care that was given to Mr.…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — LEAD Public Schools recently announced the appointment of Dr. Ricki Gibbs as its next chief executive officer, effective June 1, 2025. The announcement follows current CEO Dwayne Tucker’s decision to continue his role as interim president at Tennessee State University (TSU) and not return to LEAD for the 2025-26 school year. Dr. Gibbs brings a wealth of experience as an education leader to his new role. He joined LEAD in 2023 as head of schools and demonstrated significant impact, notably leading LEAD Brick Church to double its performance during the 2023-24 school year. He also spearheaded the…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The nonprofit Martha O’Bryan Center (MOBC) announces the addition of Jeff Darnell as Director for the Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility (TAEM), a public-private partnership it leads to help working Tennesseans move beyond “the benefits cliff,” widely recognized as one of the greatest barriers facing low-income families. TAEM includes more than 30 community-based organizations, faith-based institutions, government agencies, and educational entities across 16 Middle Tennessee counties (Cannon, Cheatham, Davidson, Dekalb, Dickson, Hickman, Houston, Humphries, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson) working to transform Tennessee’s safety net and promote lasting solutions that support economic mobility. TAEM’s Our ChanceTN pilot program, a groundbreaking initiative…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Scarritt Bennett Center will host Sacred Blues: “Sinners” and the Rhythm of Black Spirituality at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, in the Harambee Auditorium. This free hybrid event will explore the tension between religion and spirituality in Black life, drawing on themes from the film Sinners. Rev. Kelli X, Director of Racial Justice Ministries at Scarritt Bennett, will lead the conversation, which will examine the grief and glory of gospel and blues, and the cultural struggle between celebration and appropriation. Joining the discussion virtually is Saul Williams, artist and actor who portrayed the pastor and father…
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s celebrated Concrete Industry Management program hosted over 320 area middle and high school girls Tuesday, May 13, at the second annual Ladies in Concrete Workshop to expose them to a variety of potential careers in a career field that has traditionally been dominated by men. Following last year’s successful inaugural event at the School of Concrete and Construction Management Building, this year’s event drew even more girls and young women to campus to get an up close view of different parts of the concrete industry through hands-on workshops demonstrating common things seen on…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — WeGo Public Transit is working with the Davidson County Office of the District Attorney to help crime witnesses in certain cases appear at court proceedings. WeGo Access will provide free transportation through the rideshare partner zTrip for individuals for whom transportation is a barrier when attending court in person is mandatory. The program will support witnesses connected to the Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigative Team (VAPIT) and Victim Witness/Prosecution Support Divisions. “Accessibility to our courts is critical to our criminal justice system. All too often, our elderly or vulnerable adults are unable to make it to court, diminishing…