Listen Tennessee lawmakers have scuttled a bill that public defenders believed would have jeopardized their funding. The move came after Republicans and Democrats alike said they fear tipping the scales of justice too much toward prosecutors. The decision means Tennessee will continue with a 22-year-old law that says for every dollar local governments give to […]
Legislators Reject Plan That Put Public Defenders’ Funding At Risk
Will Opening Doors On ‘Pre-Meetings’ Affect How Tennessee House Lawmakers Operate?
Listen Last week we learned from news reports that 10 out of 15 standing committees in the Tennessee House of Representatives were holding “pre-meetings” — gatherings behind closed doors before public committee meetings. Shortly after the story broke, House Speaker Beth Harwell called for an immediate end to the secrecy.
Will The Next Mayor Of Music City Win With A Jingle?
Listen A couple of Nashville’s candidates for mayor are trotting out campaign jingles. It’s a throwback device not used by a winning mayoral candidate since at least the 1990s.
How Can Top Teachers Reach More Kids? Nashville Tries Handing Them More Classrooms
Listen There’s a stack of research that suggests all the educational innovation in the world still doesn’t hold a candle to an awesome teacher. And that’s the driving force behind an experiment at three low-performing Nashville schools to broaden the impact and boost the pay of superstar teachers.
Mayor: New Sounds Stadium Still A Good Investment, Even At $10M Over Budget
If Mayor Karl Dean had known years ago the Nashville Sounds’ new ballpark would end up costing $75 million dollars, would he have moved forward with the plan? “Definitely,” Dean says, repeating the word for emphasis. Team officials point to extra environmental cleanup, winter weather and rising construction costs as the culprits for the latest […]
Mayor: New Sounds Stadium Still A Good Investment, Even At $10M Over Budget
If Mayor Karl Dean had known years ago the Nashville Sounds’ new ballpark would end up costing $75 million dollars, would he have moved forward with the plan? “Definitely,” Dean says, repeating the word for emphasis. Team officials point to extra environmental cleanup, winter weather and rising construction costs as the culprits for the latest […]
Ron Ramsey Says Senate Should Stay Out Of Investigation Into Nashville DA Glenn Funk
Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says lawmakers should stay out of the controversy swirling around Davidson County prosecutor Glenn Funk, at least for now. Ramsey says the state legislature could consider removing Funk from office if allegations that he improperly inflated his government pension are shown to be true. But he adds lawmakers shouldn’t conduct their […]
Tennessee Republicans Eye Allowing Medical Marijuana, Within Limits
Listen State Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) says the views of his fellow Republicans on medical marijuana are evolving, like other Tennesseans’. “I think people have realized that there are medical conditions out there, people who are suffering, who don’t have to suffer.”
Handgun Carriers In Tennessee Could Get Lifetime Permits
Listen Tennessee’s half-million handgun permit holders might soon have the option of carrying for life. The proposal was one of a few gun bills Tennessee lawmakers advanced Wednesday. Rep. John Holsclaw (R-Elizabethton) says lifetime gun permits would be more convenient. Instead of spending $115 on a permit that expires after five years, they could pay $750 and get […]
Lawmakers Say They’re Close To A Plan To Replace Common Core With ‘Tennessee’ Standards
Listen Tennessee lawmakers appear to be closing in on a plan to address Common Core education standards, but they’re keeping their solution under wraps. Lawmakers have been trying for weeks to figure out how to deal with Common Core, the controversial education standards they adopted five years ago. But because the issue has grown radioactive […]
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM