Good morning, Nashville. Today’s theme is budget cuts: After Governor Phil’s budget talks a few weeks back, we’re now beginning to see the effects of all the slicing and dicing, particularly in the Tennessee prison system which expects to lose around $50M or 8% of their budget. They’re not sure how they’re going to cope, but expect to rely more heavily on volunteers for rehabilitation programs and classes. Metro schools are also looking at a significant cut of $3M by the middle of the month to try and close in on the $11.1M deficit they’ve built up.

• How the Grinch really stole Christmas. Murfreesboro has nixed one neighborhood’s favorite Christmas decoration–Santa’s sleigh and a reindeer dangling over the street. The decoration, which came about when the neighbors were “trying to outdo one another with decorations” a few years ago, was said to violate a long-standing city ordinance.
• Working for a living. Pretty Products, a plant in Mount Pleasant that manufactures car floor mats, is being accused of not paying its employees. Though the plant seems to be paid up on all its bills, employees have come forward anonymously and said they’re afraid to file a formal complaint for fear of losing their jobs.
• Bits & pieces. La Copa Fiesta  is the first after-hours club to close due to the impending booze ban … The fate of Tent City is set to be decided at 11:30am today at the Metro Courthouse … The lawsuit intending to halt the English Only election was dismissed … Crime-ridden MTSU won’t even get to go to a bowl game this year.

Photo by crashmattb.

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