For Don Srisuriyo, a Thai American from Murfreesboro, becoming a Buddhist monk was unexpectedly challenging, and changed his relationship to his heritage.
Char Daston
Char Daston is a reporter and newscast writer for WPLN. Char got his start in public radio at WYSO public radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he answered questions sent in by listeners for a program called WYSO Curious. He went on to work at St. Louis Public Radio and WBEZ Chicago, where he produced the daily talk show Reset and reported for the education desk. His work has appeared nationally on shows like Morning Edition and The World. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Char attended college and grad school at the University of Chicago, where he wrote his master’s thesis on the politics of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Unable to settle on one creative project, Char enjoys writing poetry, plays and video essays in his spare time. You’ll likely find him rushing to choir rehearsal or seeking out Nashville’s best Thai and Korean food.
Appeals court finds Tennessee can cut size of Nashville Metro Council, reversing lower court ruling
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled that the state can go forward with a plan to cut the Nashville Metro Council membership in half.
Nashville hotels seeing chart-topping demand for meetings and events
An event-planning company says the four U.S. hotels with the most demand from the event-planning industry are all in downtown Nashville.
Federal funding clawbacks cause cuts, fear, creative alternatives in Nashville’s arts community
Many arts organizations learned that their grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts was being canceled. That includes at least five arts nonprofits in Nashville.
Tennesseans have dim view of U.S. economy, poll finds
The majority of Tennesseans from across the political spectrum say the U.S. economy is in bad shape, according to a new poll from Vanderbilt University.
Nashville’s in-depth affordable housing strategy is ready for public review
The mayor’s plan is meant to address Nashville’s rapidly rising housing prices and rents, which are burdensome for low- and even middle-income residents.
This Tennessean’s undocumented mom left the U.S. and came back legally. Here’s why that’s so rare.
Many mixed-status families have just one way to prevent being separated by deportation. But the process is complicated and comes with risks.
Nashville’s new Office of Youth Safety has its first director
Phyllis Hildreth will lead Nashville’s new Office of Youth Safety. Mayor Freddie O’Connell announced the office’s first director last week.
Metro plans to clear a decades-old Nashville encampment
Nashville’s Office of Homeless Services plans to clear out Old Tent City. The encampment south of downtown near the Cumberland River and Interstate 24 has been a community for unhoused Nashvillians for over 40 years.
As Tennessee prisons phase out physical mail, prisoners weigh in
The Tennessee Department of Correction is phasing out physical mail and deploying table-style computers to all people in prison.
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