By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers, a civil rights attorney with experience at the local, state and federal levels, is one of three candidates running in the upcoming Democratic primary for the position of District Attorney General. Incumbent DA Glenn Funk is hoping to retain his seat against Myers, who entered into the race last December, and former assistant DA Danielle Nellis. Funk has been in the role since 2014. Myers said her vision for the DA’s office rests on three pillars working in harmony: restorative justice, crime prevention, and civil rights. “For nonviolent…
Author: Ashley Benkarski
By Ashley Benkarski KNOXVILLE, TN — Two of the state’s biggest basketball rivals — Vanderbilt University’s Commodores and University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s Vols—went head-to-head on the court Saturday, with the Vols taking the lead over Vandy with a score of 73-64. But the teams weren’t just battling each other on the paint for a season-ending clencher—they were battling for the admirable cause of organ and tissue donation registration in partnership with Tennessee Donor Services (TDS) titled #BeTheGift Challenge. The goal is to register 115,000 more organ and tissue donors this year. According to the TDS website African Americans, along with other…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — The Nashville Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held a press conference Friday to condemn the police shooting death of an unarmed man Thursday afternoon. “It appeared as a firing squad, as an execution. It was very difficult to watch,” said Sheryl Guinn, President of the NAACP’s Nashville Chapter. “The circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Eastep by MNPD and other members of local law enforcement are gravely disturbing,” Metro Nashville Community Oversight said in a press release. Director Jill Fitcheard will begin an independent investigation into the shooting…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN— Like most parents Tamella Curry will tell you her biggest accomplishment is her child. When she became a mother at a young age, the odds were stacked against her. But what began as a bartending gig has become Sip Nashville, a mobile bartending business that grew from dream to reality in the short span of a few years. She’d worked various venues spanning the social scene, from fancy soirees in ballrooms to family celebrations in backyards. Eventually she realized that she could use her experiences to embark on a journey of entrepreneurship. Curry got together…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — WeGo is making public transit more accessible and more affordable for Nashville commuters by going digital, company officials said. With a new app and reloadable ticket card, the Quick Ticket program will allow riders to travel anywhere throughout its service area for $4 per day, with discounts available to riders who qualify. The most common response WeGo CEO Steve Bland heard from most riders was to make the transit service operation easier to use and understand, he said. The app is great for commuters and tourists alike who can now find routes and other…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — Back in 2006, the world tuned in to TV One’s telecast of the Bounce Trumpet Awards honoring influential Black figures. That year, Nashville’s own Dr. Bobby Jones was seated next to none other than Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Both were there not only to receive their respective honors but also to bear witness to the works of their fellows. “I was amazed that I would be that close to him,” Jones recalled. And despite Tutu’s strong political convictions he knew how to smooth divides in ideology as well those present between various religious denominations. Tutu…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — Underguard Teleservices is a fairly new private business with an interesting pitch: their call center outsourcing employees are inmates. Sibling duo Kyle and Kelly Hannah are continuing their father Casey’s business venture after his passing a few years ago. As a prison minister Casey empathized with those society had forgotten and, recognizing the importance of second chances, worked with Kyle to merge his son’s business venture with his faith-based values by hiring incarcerated workers. When people think of inmate occupations, manual labor often comes to mind. While these jobs are a majority of those…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — Local Pastor Howard E. Jones, Jr.’s campaign for Davidson County’s Circuit Court Clerk position. A native Nashvillian with experience in the education sector, Jones is continuing his efforts in the political realm while working to expand Fairfield’s outreach, he said. Jones previously ran for Metro Council as well as for the late State Senator Thelma Harper’s seat when she retired. This most recent foray for the clerkship role presented itself as a suggestion from a friend that resulted in a lot of prayer about the decision, he said. He prayed and did research on…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN — Nashville’s own DeLisa Guerrier, 34, is spearheading an endeavor to bolster childhood literacy by bringing an innovative and unique attraction to the Nashville area. Storyville Gardens is Guerrier’s inaugural venture in the amusement park industry and has received $316 million in capital fundraising. Slated to open to the public in 2025, the park is one way for Guerrier to give back to the community by “creating a foundation where kids read for fun.” It was all designed for two reasons, she said, the first being that as a mother she has struggled finding a…
By Ashley Benkarski NASHVILLE, TN— Despite the bitter November chill dozens of citizens attended the reveal of a hand-painted mural of the late Rep. John Lewis. Located at the intersection of Commerce Street and the newly-dedicated Rep. John Lewis Way North, the mural is part of an ongoing effort to acknowledge Lewis’s impact on Nashville during the Student Movement. The renaming ceremony took place earlier this year, with a march along the historic street where Lewis, at the time 17, and his fellows in “good trouble” led sit-ins. Elected officials from across the state were on hand to honor the…