Monthly Archives: March, 2010
Happy Hour: Headhunters
- Super-creepy tidbit of the day: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency wants hunters across the state to save them the heads of the squirrels and rabbits they kill so they can map the species distribution statewide. They’ll even come and pick them up if you just want to toss them in the fridge or freezer for a few days! Ew. [WSMV]
- Yes, it’s true- Kevin Bacon will be gracing the stage of the Grand Ole Opry tomorrow night. [WZTV]
- A Rutherford County Ruby Tuesday is being fined to the tune of $10 million for over-serving customer back in 2005, leading to an assault. And how much was too much? The equivalent of 19 beers in 2 1/2 hours. [WSMV]
- East Tennessee had the shakes this afternoon, literally. A 3.3-magnitude earthquake shook the region around 10am this morning. [WZTV]
Photo by silenus81.
Super-creepy tidbit of the day: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency wants hunters across the state to save them the heads of the squirrels and rabbits they kill so they can map the species distribution statewide. They’ll even come and pick them up if you just want to toss them in the fridge or freezer for [...]
Twestival Local: Nashville, Let’s Get Quacky
What time is it? It’s Twestival time! Following a very successful worldwide Twestival in February, we’re excited to announce Nashville’s Twestival v2.0: Twestival Local! We’re going to go through this Q&A style, and if you don’t see an A for your Q, drop it in the comments and we’ll fill in the blanks. Without further ado…
Q. Huh? What is Twestival?
A. Because we’re lazy, we ganked this from the Twestival site:
A Twestival or Twitter-Festival is a global series of events organized by volunteers around the world under short timescales, which bring people offline for a great cause. Twestival is run 100% by volunteers and independently from any not-for-profit; although the organizing teams do work closely to outline an achievable and measurable fundraising target. Twestival also sets out to identify key skills of volunteers and match these with the needs of the cause; particularly communications strategy, tech integration and social media training. Twestival Local takes place in cities around the world : 10-13 September 2009.
Q. Didn’t we just have a Twestival? Why are we having another one so soon?
A. Because it’s fun, it’s for a good cause, and we could all stand to get offline a little more often.
Q. Who/What/Where/When/Why?
A. Let’s break it down.
- Who? Anyone with a Twitter account. If you don’t have a Twitter account, we might let you pretend.
- What? Twestival Nashville. Weren’t you listening?
- Where? Our gracious hosts from February’s Twestival have stepped up and offered to host us again, at the Big Bang Dueling Piano Bar in downtown Nashville! They’ll be providing us with free food, great drink specials and some entertainment for the evening.
- When? Thursday, September 10 at 6pm. Yeah, we know, there’s a Titans game. We’ll do our best to have that on at the Twestival. Did you really want to park downtown on a Friday or Saturday night?
- Why? We already covered that.
Q. Last time, Twestival raised money to benefit Charity:Water. Who is the beneficiary of Twestival this time around?
A. A lot of the feedback from February’s Twestival was focused on the beneficiary of the event. While Charity:Water is a worthy organization, we were sort of bummed that we couldn’t partner with one of the not-for-profit organizations in our own community. Enter Twestival Local, designed to give people like us exactly what we asked for. Each city holding a Twestival this September will choose a local beneficiary, and partner with them to meet a specific goal, of both short term and long term nature.
Q. No, really. Who is the beneficiary of Nashville’s Twestival, and how were they chosen?
A. And we thought you wouldn’t notice… We’re excited to announce that we will be partnering with The Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee and the Great Nashville Duck Race this year! This year marks the second annual Great Nashville Duck Race put on by the Boys & Girls Club, and we chose them as the beneficiary for several reasons.
- They have an existing event. Rather than go plowing ahead with our own ideas (brilliant though they may be), we wanted to support an organization that is already in the community making things happen.
- Double whammy! When you adopt a rubber duck in the Great Nashville Duck Race, not only will you get a raffle ticket for some great prizes at Twestival Nashville, but you’ll be entered to win some even greater prizes at the actual Duck Race on September 19. We’re talking ten thousand buckaroos, folks.
- Rubber ducks. Thousands of rubber ducks in the Cumberland River. Need we say more?
- If we adopt 500 ducks, the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee will be able to provide 100 kids in our community with club memberships. 100 kids! Help us meet this goal.
Q. AWESOME! How can I help?
A. We’d love to have you as a volunteer at Twestival Nashville. Grab this form, fill it out and hit submit. We’ll be in touch.
Q. How do I buy my tickets?
A. “Tickets” are a loose word this time around. Adopt a rubber duck for $5 (or two… or six), show up, and we’ll let you in. For each duck you adopt, you will receive one raffle ticket. Adopt ten ducks, get ten raffle tickets. We’d say this would make your chances of snagging a door prize or two pretty good. We will also have duck adoption papers available at the door, and will accept cash, check and credit card. If you hate rubber ducks and good causes, we’ll still welcome you with open arms, but you won’t get a raffle ticket.
TO ADOPT ONLINE:
- Visit the Great Nashville Duck Race website.
- DON’T click on the giant link that says “CLICK HERE TO ADOPT A DUCK,” no matter how tempting it may look.
- Instead, click on “Get Involved,” the last link in the navigation bar at the top of the page. Or click here.
- Fill out the info. Click the little link that says “Register.”
- Find a spot that says “Join The Fun,” expand the menu, and select “Join a team.”
- Select “Independent” as your option, then select “Twestival Nashville” as your team. Hit “Join.”
- Log out. Just do it.
- NOW you can click that giant link that says “CLICK HERE TO ADOPT A DUCK.” Go ahead, it’s okay!
- From there, you should be able to figure it out. Select Twestival Nashville as your team name, select your name from the drop down menu, and adopt some ducks!
Q. Why was that so complicated?
A. We don’t really know. Again, you can adopt the ducks at the door by cash, check or credit, but we’d love to have you adopt ahead of time to make the process at the door easier.
Q. What sort of awesome things can I win with my raffle ticket?
A. Who knows? We don’t! At least, we don’t know yet. We’ll know by September 10. But last time, attendees won all sorts of gift certificates, Preds tickets, iPhone accessories, t-shirts and gift baskets.
Q. Where can I find ongoing updates, press materials, badges and buttons to put on my site, and all things Twestival Nashville?
A. Glad you asked! You can find all of these things and more at TwestivalNashville.com, and follow @twestivalnash on Twitter to stay in the loop!
What time is it? It’s Twestival time! Following a very successful worldwide Twestival in February, we’re excited to announce Nashville’s Twestival v2.0: Twestival Local! We’re going to go through this Q&A style, and if you don’t see an A for your Q, drop it in the comments and we’ll fill in the blanks. Without further [...]
Bright & Early: Running Out Of Punny Swine Flu Titles Edition
Good morning, Nashville. Vanderbilt University officials are so concerned about the spread of the Swine Flu that they’ve arranged for some bonfires where students can burn any clothes or other belongings that might carry the virus. With the fall semester kicking into full gear, Vandy (and just about every other university in Tennessee) is already seeing an increase in flu cases. Thank goodness for the handy Swine Flu Combat Kit and wide variety of instructional videos, right?
- Food stamps and obesity. Nearly one in six Tennesseans is on food stamps and health officials are trying to figure out how to get those folks access to healthy food after a new study has shown a significant link between food stamps and obesity.
- Hooray for nice weather! We were a pleasantly surprised this morning when we walked outside and realized we might need a jacket! The cool temperatures should continue through Wednesday when some more storms roll through. Fall is almost here!
- Bits & pieces. The convention center drama continues and we won’t even bother trying to explain it … Metro Schools may soon be the one of the only districts in middle Tennessee to not receive accreditation … The new guns in parks law goes into effect tonight at midnight so grab your guns and party it up (or not)! … We are sharing this article because the accompanying photo might be our favorite ever … Sen. Bob Corker is almost the richest person in the Senate.
Photo by Jon.Erickson.
Good morning, Nashville. Vanderbilt University officials are so concerned about the spread of the Swine Flu that they’ve arranged for some bonfires where students can burn any clothes or other belongings that might carry the virus. With the fall semester kicking into full gear, Vandy (and just about every other university in Tennessee) is already [...]
Happy Hour: Getting To The Bottom Of It
- Several veterans have stepped forward and said that they’re afraid they might’ve been the source of the accidental Hepatitis infections that resulted from some botched colonoscopy equipment at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro. If the genetic link is established, it could confirm that the hospital is responsible for the infections. [WPLN]
- Don’t say we didn’t warn you- I-440 will be closed again this weekend for repairs, except construction will only affect the eastbound lanes this time. All lanes between the I-40 junction and I-65 will be shutting down at 8pm tonight and will remain closed all weekend. [WTVF]
- A guy on crack driving a stolen car led police on a chase between Davidson and Wilson counties today, allegedly smoking crack the whole time. They eventually stopped him by laying some spike strips out on I-40 in Mt. Juliet. [WSMV]
- Martina McBride and Sheryl Crow are having a garage sale this weekend! Boy, times must really be tough. And by “garage sale” we mean “giant estate sale.” [Tennessean]
- The Nashville Zoo is putting out its super-adorable and super-rare clouded leopard cubs on September 4th. And did we mention they’re really cute? [WSMV]
Photo by jermscentral.
Several veterans have stepped forward and said that they’re afraid they might’ve been the source of the accidental Hepatitis infections that resulted from some botched colonoscopy equipment at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro. If the genetic link is established, it could confirm that the hospital is responsible for the infections. [WPLN]
Don’t say we didn’t warn [...]
Bright & Early: The Only Thing To Fear Edition
Good morning, Nashville. Williamson County Schools have figured out at least one way to deal with the new law that allows guns in public parks starting September 1: Canceling the students’ field trips. When the law goes into effect next month, the school system will be canceling every educational trip and sporting event that takes place in a park where guns are allowed, including a county-wide cross-country meet, citing students’ safety as their main concern.
- Racial profiling complaints. The NAACP held a forum at Fisk University last night to discuss racial profiling, which many say has become an increasing problem in the Metro police force.
- College enrollment up. If you’ve noticed even more college students running around town than usual this year, you’re not crazy- Both Lipscomb and Belmont have seen record enrollments this year.
- Bits & pieces. With the help of Vandy’s vaccination trials, the swine flu vaccine should be ready by October … Like everything else in Tennessee these days, the prepaid tuition program is strapped for cash … The chickens get to stay! … Tennessean tornado victims are trying to take advantage of government loans only to be met with a lot of red tape.
Photo by fallingwater123.
Good morning, Nashville. Williamson County Schools have figured out at least one way to deal with the new law that allows guns in public parks starting September 1: Canceling the students’ field trips. When the law goes into effect next month, the school system will be canceling every educational trip and sporting event that takes [...]
Happy Hour: Things Might Be Looking Up Edition
- 78 of Tennessee’s 95 counties saw a decrease in their unemployment rate last month, and Perry County (remember when their unemployment reached 26%?) saw the biggest drop. However, many folks point out that the numbers only mean that less folks are looking for jobs and don’t reflect actual unemployment. [Tennessean]
- The TVA had a little malfunction today that left one of their three nuclear power plants functioning at less than a quarter of its usual capacity. [WZTV]
- In honor of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, Tennessee’s flags will be flown at half-mast until sunset on August 30th (h/t Thomas).
- Two shooting deaths in two days have inspired a local group to hold a vigil against gun violence in Nashville’s African American community tonight. [WTVF]
- Green Hills is getting a bunch of fancy new stores besides the obvious arrival of Nordstrom which everyone already knew about. [Tennesssean]
Photo by niseag03.
78 of Tennessee’s 95 counties saw a decrease in their unemployment rate last month, and Perry County (remember when their unemployment reached 26%?) saw the biggest drop. However, many folks point out that the numbers only mean that less folks are looking for jobs and don’t reflect actual unemployment. [Tennessean]
The TVA had a little malfunction [...]
Free Preds Tickets, Anyone? [Freebies]
What would make hockey season even happier? Um, free tickets, please! Okay, so anything that comes from Ticketmaster can’t really be free, but do free tickets with a a couple bucks of service charges still count as free? We think it’s close enough. Grab your free-ish tickets to the Preds’ first preseason game against the Atlanta Thrashers on September 17, and we’ll see you there! [Hat tip to Faithful Provisions for the info.]
EDIT (Friday, 8/28): Looks like they’re all sold out!
What would make hockey season even happier? Um, free tickets, please! Okay, so anything that comes from Ticketmaster can’t really be free, but do free tickets with a a couple bucks of service charges still count as free? We think it’s close enough. Grab your free-ish tickets to the Preds’ first preseason game against the [...]
Live On The Green Launches Next Week With Ten Out Of Tenn
Though we’re still in denial that it’s almost September, Live on the Green kicks off in just one short week on September 3. The Lightning 100-sponsored concert series is bringing back free outdoor music to downtown Nashville’s public square, and we couldn’t be more excited. Live on the Green’s lineup has been marginally fleshed out since we first reported the announcement, and the first week’s festivities will feature Toadies, American Bang and the first performance from this year’s new Ten out of Tenn lineup. The current schedule (with a bunch of holes) for the coming weeks below:
September 3, 2009
Toadies
American Bang
Ten Out of Tenn
September 10, 2009
Here Come the Mummies
Space Capone
H-Beam
September 17, 2009
The Derek Trucks Band
Special Guest
Special Guest
September 24, 2009
Special Guest
Special Guest
Special Guest
October 1, 2009
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Special Guest
Maureen Murphy
October 8, 2009
Citizen Cope
Ricky Young
Next Big Nashville
Though we’re still in denial that it’s almost September, Live on the Green kicks off in just one short week on September 3. The Lightning 100-sponsored concert series is bringing back free outdoor music to downtown Nashville’s public square, and we couldn’t be more excited. Live on the Green’s lineup has been marginally fleshed out [...]
Bright & Early: Someone’s Been Busy Edition
Good morning, Nashville. When Metro Police picked up three burglary suspects in Forest Hills last week, they had no idea that the arrests would lead to the discovery of nearly 1,500 items stolen from people’s homes in the last two and a half months. Police believe the robberies occurred in and around Bellevue, south Nashville, and Williamson County and included items such as jewelry, guns, computers, televisions, and even some expensive life jackets. Most of the items are still unclaimed and hanging out at the police station, so if you have reason to believe any of it might be yours, give ‘em a call.
- Save the chickens. The Metro Planning Commission will hold a public hearing today to help determine the fate of urban chickens in Nashville. If it’s something you feel particularly strong about, now’s your chance to speak up.
- Unemployment running out. Thousands of Tennesseans are facing the end of their unemployment benefits, which are provided for a maximum of 79 weeks. Though 500 folks ran out in August, the number is expected to grow to about 23,000 by December.
- Bits & pieces. The guy who claims that Metro stole his prosthetic leg is not letting the issue go, and we can’t say we blame him … Tennessee car dealers filed for a total of $51 million in Cash for Clunkers reimbursement … We might soon have some more options for recycling in Nashville … Buying energy efficient appliances could soon earn you a big ol’ rebate from the State of Tennessee.
Photo by Kittywinks Peeks.
Good morning, Nashville. When Metro Police picked up three burglary suspects in Forest Hills last week, they had no idea that the arrests would lead to the discovery of nearly 1,500 items stolen from people’s homes in the last two and a half months. Police believe the robberies occurred in and around Bellevue, south Nashville, [...]
Happy Hour: Happy College Savings Month
- Tennessee just declared the upcoming month of September “College Savings Month,” so um, save for college education or something! Or for your kids’ college educations because Tennessee has a fancy program for that. [WZTV]
- Following the lead of Nashville State Community College, the Metro Health Department has decided it might want a piece of the Hickory Hollow Mall pie by adding a service center at that location. [Tennessean]
- Tennessee’s first male strip club, Arrow Nashville, is scheduled to open on Labor Day weekend. Everyone is very excited, clearly. [WTVF]
- It’s been a little toasty over the last few days but it’s supposed to cool off a little this weekend. [Nashville WX]
- UT-Knoxville is already doing battle with the swine flu after only one week of classes. [WTVF]
- Tennessee received some grades for women’s health and they were pretty grim. [Pith In The Wind]
Tennessee just declared the upcoming month of September “College Savings Month,” so um, save for college education or something! Or for your kids’ college educations because Tennessee has a fancy program for that. [WZTV]
Following the lead of Nashville State Community College, the Metro Health Department has decided it might want a piece of the Hickory [...]
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