Listen A group of Tennessee lawmakers wants the state to sue the federal government over refugee resettlement, arguing that helping displaced families amounts to an “unfunded mandate.” A Senate panel voted 9-1 Tuesday morning to ask the state’s attorney general to file a suit they say would — at the very least — force the […]
Tennessee Lawmakers Want To Sue U.S. Government, Calling Refugee Resettlement An Unfunded Mandate
Why Ireland Decided To Help Fund Nashville’s Upstart Irish Festival
Listen Drummers and dancers performed under tents to stay out of the rain at the inaugural St. Patrick’s Day festival in March last year. That event did get a little help from the Irish government, but nothing compared to this year: The country’s tourism and cultural agencies are footing a third of the bill, according […]
New Survey To Track How Many Nashville Restaurants Are Accessible For People With Disabilities
Listen With the growing number of restaurants in Nashville, advocacy group Empower Tennessee wants to figure out how many are accessible to people with disabilities. The goal is to not only help those people figure out which restaurants they can go to, but to also help businesses avoid lawsuits.
This Year’s Gun Debate Hits Close To Home For Tennessee Lawmakers
Listen Top Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly have discouraged lawmakers from spending much more time on gun bills. But many perennial proposals are back, along with a few new ones. And the most immediate change of allowing guns in Legislative Plaza may not involve a bill at all.
Next President? Nashville Teens Feel The Bern In Mock Election
Listen If they went to the polls today, voting-age Nashville high school students would pick Bernie Sanders for president. At least, that’s the result of an informal mock election that recently tallied 444 votes in four schools.
Traffic Congestion Creeps Up On Middle Tennessee Like A Frog In Hot Water
Listen Rutherford County’s population is on pace to be larger than Chattanooga’s in the next 25 years. With that growth in mind — and the traffic that comes with it — regional transportation planners went to Smyrna Thursday night to hear the public’s concerns.
Long Accused Of Hypocrisy, Tennessee Legislature Plans To Allow In Guns
Listen Legislative leaders say they are preparing to end the long-standing ban on firearms inside parts of the Capitol, following years of frequent criticism that they’ve been hypocritical by allowing guns in more places but not on Capitol Hill. Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he and his House counterpart, Beth Harwell, have been discussing changing […]
Saying Defeat Was Imminent, Tennessee Lawmaker Abruptly Withdraws School Voucher Plan
Listen A plan to create Tennessee’s first school voucher program has been jettisoned. The proposal had been set for a final vote Thursday in what was expected to be a close and heated debate. But its chief sponsor says the idea just didn’t have enough support.
TVA Downplays Blowing Past Its Nuclear Reactor Budget Again
Listen The Tennessee Valley Authority is downplaying yet another budget overrun for the completion of a once-mothballed nuclear reactor south of Crossville. Watts Bar Unit 2, which is slated to be the first reactor to come online in the U.S. in two decades, will take an additional $200 million to finish than anticipated.
With $5 Million Windfall, Nashville Reevaluates Scope Of Affordable Housing Program
Listen Metro Nashville will have more money than ever this year in its Barnes Fund for affordable housing. And the jump — from about $1 million to more than $5 million — has officials reevaluating how the money can best be spent.
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