This essay is a Cover Story selection, a weekly feature highlighting the top picks from the editors of America Media. Last June, I invited some young adult Catholics to my residence one evening for a discussion about the future of our parishes, our diocese and our church. They were in their 20s and 30s. Some were married, some still single. A few had young children at their homes here in Jefferson City, Mo., where they belonged to our cathedral parish. At the time, we were beginning a small group discernment process created by our chancery staff. The process was designed…
Author: Kermit Williams
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NASHVILLE, Tenn., August 18, 2020 – The local Advance Financial at 800 Jefferson Street in Nashville gave away 125 backpacks to area school students. The initiative was part of Advance Financial’s deep-rooted commitment to education. The backpacks were loaded with supplies ranging from pencils to hand sanitizer. Generous donations for the packs were made by Cigna, Greenbrier Distillery, Excalibur Group and the Advance Financial Foundation. The packs were safely distributed through the drive-thru window. “I love being part of the Advance Financial family. It’s so important to us to give back to the communities we serve,” said Martin McCollum, Operations…
NASHVILLE, TN – Nearly $5 billion in economic relief have been paid to counteract the economic impact from the novel coronavirus pandemic in Davidson, Dickson, and Cheatham counties. “It was critical to keeping Middle Tennesseans afloat and avoiding another Depression,” U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper said Monday. The largest share of that $5 billion — $1.2 billion — was paid directly to Metro-area residents in $1,200 checks, or as extra federal unemployment benefits at $600 per week in addition to state unemployment benefits. The entire $2.5 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of Congress became law on March…
The Nashville District Attorney’s office will no longer prosecute individuals for possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana. Marijuana charges do little to promote public health, and even less to promote public safety. For individuals, this policy will eliminate the negative effects of a criminal charge which include potential jail time and collateral consequences on employment and housing. For the justice system, elimination of minor marijuana charges will decrease costs as jail housing expenses for these cases will now be totally eliminated. Similarly, courts and the clerk’s office will see savings from docketing fewer cases. Finally, and of great…
Dr. Hildreth, infectious disease expert and President & CEO of Nashville’s Meharry Medical, was speaking during a Power Poll panel on COVID-19 and Racial Health Disparities in Tennessee when he expressed support for the removal of the Bust of Nathan Bedford Bust displayed at the State House. According to Dr. Hildreth, he shared his personal sentiments. “Nathan Bedford Forrest should not be so prominently displayed in the capitol of the State of Tennessee. When I see him, what I see is the lifeless bodies of Black folks hanging from trees. I smell burning flesh and I hear the moans and wails…
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Op-ed by Marshall Crawford, Jr. CEO and President of The Housing Fund The term preservation is defined as “the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay.” This word and definition have been used more frequently in recent months to ensure that property construction and rehabilitation are not undertaken at the expense of community destruction. Rebuilding efforts must center the interests and goals of the community. To create equitable and sustainable change we must ensure the “activities or processes” being utilized and/or implemented are in the best interest of the community and homeowners…
Reavis L. Mitchell, Jr. passed away quietly on June 17, 2020. He was a native Nashvillian graduating from Fisk University in 1969, held a Master of Science from TSU and a Doctorate from MTSU, with post-doctoral studies from Harvard University. Dr. Mitchell was a member of Fisk’s history faculty since 1980 and served as Professor of History and Dean of the School of Humanities and Behavioral Social Sciences. Dr. Mitchell was one of the historians who organized Nashville’s Local Conference on Afro-American History and Culture. Over the past 20 years, he wrote several profiles in the conference proceedings, “Leaders of…