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Ravenwood teammates on track to achieve NFL dreams
Two former Ravenwood High stars are expected to win the football lottery in the coming days by hearing their names called during the early rounds of the NFL draft.Why it matters: NFL experts predict Ravenwood alums Graham Barton and Junior Colson are on track to be selected in the draft, which begins Thursday in Detroit.Getting drafted into the NFL is difficult enough, but to have high school teammates selected rather high is even more uncommon.What he's saying: "They're really good young men, and have been since I met them," Matt Daniels, who coached the duo at Ravenwood, tells Axios. In...
Effort to ban LGBTQ+ pride flag in Tennessee schools falters
The Tennessee Senate stopped a bill this week that was designed to ban LGBTQ+ pride flags in public schools.Why it matters: In recent years, the Republican majority in the Tennessee General Assembly has advanced several bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community. But this measure wilted under bipartisan opposition in the Senate.State of play: Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, the Republican speaker of the Senate, told WKRN that the state attorney general told him the flag bill could lose a constitutional challenge even if it was amended.McNally voted against the bill while several other Republicans didn't vote. The bill failed 13-6.What he's saying:...
Nashville Predators bringing the playoffs to Bridgestone Arena
Fans of the Nashville Predators who can't get tickets to cheer the team on during Stanley Cup playoff games at Bridgestone Arena can join in on the fun at outdoor watch parties downtown. What's happening: The third and fourth games in the Round 1 series against the Vancouver Canucks will...
Chart: Nashville's most dominant grocery stores
Kroger remains the most popular grocery chain in the Nashville area, with 32.7% of the market share as of last year. The grocery giant has expanded its lead over Walmart, whose market share fell to 24.4% in 2023, down more than three points from 2022. Zoom out: The region's top...
Oracle will bring world HQ to Nashville, CEO says
Oracle chairman Larry Ellison made the surprise announcement Tuesday that the company is moving its world headquarters to Nashville.The big picture: Oracle's $1.35 billion corporate campus and promised 8,500 jobs were already in the pipeline for the River North property on the East Bank.It's not immediately clear what Ellison's announcement will mean for Oracle's presence in Nashville in terms of new jobs or more investment.Ellison made the announcement at the health care industry summit, which Oracle hosted in Nashville.What he said: Ellison celebrated Nashville as a health care leader and a "fabulous place to live."The health care industry accounts for...
Tennessee House passes bill that would allow armed teachers
The Tennessee House passed a bill Monday that would allow some public school teachers to carry concealed guns on campus.Why it matters: This was the last legislative hurdle for the measure before it goes to Gov. Bill Lee's desk.Driving the news: The measure is an extension of long-running Republican efforts to chip away at firearm restrictions. The bill passed along party lines in the House and Senate.Protesters screamed out from the House gallery and chanted "Blood on your hands!" as lawmakers voted.State of play: Activists have pleaded with lawmakers to enact modest gun-control laws in the aftermath of the mass...
Tennessee's universal voucher push implodes
Gov. Bill Lee confirmed his fight to expand school vouchers statewide in Tennessee has ended in defeat, at least for now.Why it matters: Lee has spent years championing vouchers, which allow families to use state money to pay tuition at private schools. Taking the model statewide was a top priority for 2024.The plan's implosion despite a Republican supermajority shows that an influx of money from pro-voucher groups has not beat back bipartisan skepticism.Driving the news: Tennessee's House and Senate advanced widely different versions of the plan. The House included extra funding for public school priorities, while the Senate favored a...
Major legislation pending as Tennessee's legislative session winds down
The legislative session is coming to a whirlwind finish with prominent bills still hanging in the balance. Expanding death sentences: The House passed a measure Monday to expand the death penalty to people convicted of raping a child under the age of 12. The legislation seems to be angling for...
Nashville CM Zulfat Suara pushes for Civil Rights museum
On the same day Nashville celebrated civil rights legend Diane Nash, Metro Councilmember Zulfat Suara called on the city to expand its efforts to memorialize and preserve its past.The city named the plaza in front of the historic Metro courthouse in Nash's honor. At a ceremony on Saturday, city leaders celebrated the success of the peaceful desegregation movement, which Nash helped lead.What she's saying: "Ms. Nash just said the Nashville Civil Rights Movement was different from other cities," Suara said during her speech. "Why don't we have a civil rights and African American history museum in Nashville?"State of play: The city has stepped up its efforts in recent years to hold up the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.Metro leadership previously renamed a stretch of Fifth Avenue North after John Lewis and the new Bellevue high school after Rev. James Lawson.The downtown library has a Civil Rights Room that explores Nashville's history.
Mayor O'Connell unveils his transportation plan
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's plan to overhaul the city's transportation network seeks to dramatically expand bus service, add miles of new sidewalks, shorten commutes and bolster safety for pedestrians and cyclists.Why it matters: The plan, which O'Connell calls Choose How You Move, is his solution to an issue that has vexed generations of city leaders.It will require a sales tax increase that is likely to appear on the November ballot.State of play: Nashville is one of four of the 50 largest U.S. cities without dedicated funding for mass transit, which advocates say has clogged highways and hampered growth.Because many federal...
Nashville celebrates Diane Nash's civil rights legacy
On April 19, 1960, Diane Nash led a crowd of thousands on a fateful march to the courthouse steps.When they arrived, Nash confronted then-Mayor Ben West and asked him if he believed downtown lunch counters should stop discriminating against Black residents.West agreed that the lunch counters should be desegregated. The next month, they began serving Black customers.Why it matters: Many saw the exchange, which took place hours after civil rights attorney and then-Councilmember Z. Alexander Looby's house was bombed, as a turning point in the fight to desegregate the downtown lunch counters.It was a pivotal early victory for the Civil...
Nashville Predators begin Stanley Cup playoff chase
The Nashville Predators surged past preseason expectations and reached the Stanley Cup playoffs, where they'll meet the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, beginning with Game 1 at 9pm Sunday.Why it matters: This was supposed to be a retooling season under new general manager Barry Trotz and coach Andrew Brunette.Instead the Predators went on a torrid streak of 18 consecutive games without a regulation loss to qualify for the playoffs.State of play: Nashville is back in the playoffs after missing the postseason last year for the first time since 2014.Yes, but: The reward for the somewhat surprising accomplishment is a daunting series against the Canucks, who won all three regular season matchups against the Predators.Vancouver has the home-ice advantage for the best-of-seven series.
East Bank could be "template" for future Metro developments
With the East Bank development agreement official, Mayor Freddie O'Connell and The Fallon Company took a victory lap Wednesday, touting the creation of a new urban neighborhood.Why it matters: The East Bank plan calls for hotels, retail space, affordable housing, a day care center and new streets lined with bike lanes, sidewalks and a transportation hub.The intrigue: Fallon executives kept a low profile, mostly avoiding media interviews, while Metro Council considered legislation for the development deal.Zoom out: Fallon CEO Michael Fallon tells Axios the Boston-based company is picky about the markets it enters."We like to make really big bets," Fallon...
Nashville burger joint Cledis teases Bellevue expansion
The burger joint Cledis, which opened on Elm Hill Pike in 2022, is expanding into Bellevue.Why it matters: Chef Shane Nasby wanted Cledis to stand alongside classic Nashville burger spots like Brown's and Gabby's. The newly announced expansion plans are a marker of his success.Zoom out: Nasby and his family live in Bellevue. He previously co-owned HoneyFire BBQ there.What we're watching: The Nasby family said the new location would open this fall. More details are forthcoming.
Tennessee resident Taylor Swift preps new album
Tennessee resident and worldwide superstar Taylor Swift is releasing her 11th studio album "The Tortured Poets Department" at 11pm Thursday.The intrigue: Grimey's, the East Nashville record store with past ties to Swift, unveiled a new mural celebrating the album's arrival.Between the lines: Ever the musical mastermind, Swift has sprinkled hints about her new work around the country. The Grimey's mural is next to a QR code that leads to a video of a typewriter typing the letter O, as in, "Oh Taylor, what does it all mean?"Zoom in: In the runup to release day, Swift released playlists arranged around the stages of grief, intensifying speculation that this will be a breakup album.Go deeper: Ranking Swift's songs from best to worst
Nashville weekend events: Record Store Day, Earth Day festival
We've got a busy weekend coming up. It's time to start planning ahead.🎉 Celebrating Diane Nash: City leaders are planning a day of celebration on Saturday to mark the dedication of Diane Nash Plaza outside the Historic Metro Courthouse.Nash, a civil rights leader who was instrumental in the sit-ins that desegregated Nashville's downtown lunch counters, has accepted an invitation to attend the dedication.Public buses will be free to encourage attendance.🎶 Record Store Day: Vinyl lovers will descend on Nashville's record stores Saturday for a day of music, parties and limited-edition releases. Remember to show up early — lines start forming outside some local shops in the wee hours.Rock band Paramore, which started in Franklin, are the ambassadors for this year's event.🌎 Earth Day festival: A gathering to celebrate nature's bounty will take place 11am-5pm Saturday at Centennial Park. There will be music, food and educational demonstrations.The Nashville Tree Foundation will give away hundreds of free trees.🎤 Rites of Spring: Vanderbilt University's annual music festival will take place Saturday. The lineup includes rapper Young Nudy.
Nashville again listed as possible WNBA city
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert reiterated this week the league's desire to expand and once again listed Nashville as a possible new market. Why it matters: Interest in women's basketball is at an all-time high thanks to Caitlin Clark and a wave of new young players coming into the league. Nashville...
Most Tennessee bridges are "fair" or "good"
Although the bridge collapse in Baltimore last month was due to a series of unlikely accidents rather than crumbling infrastructure, the incident has renewed focus on the vulnerability of bridges across the U.S. The big picture: The U.S. Department of Transportation considers 6.8% of the over 600,000 bridges it tracks...
Lawmakers create fund to help concert venues
The state House passed legislation Tuesday to create a live music fund to support concert venues across Tennessee. Why it matters: Between the lasting impact of pandemic shutdowns, rising real estate costs and competition from corporate giants, the economic climate has never been more hostile to small and medium-sized music venues.
Tennessee students and parents protest arming teachers
Covenant School parents and student protesters made a passionate appeal Monday to stop legislation that would allow some public school teachers to carry concealed guns on campus. Why it matters: The bill would continue a years-long trend of Tennessee Republicans expanding access to firearms. But advocates for gun control, who...
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Axios Nashville, anchored by Nate Rau and Adam Tamburin, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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