Monthly Archives: December, 2011
Bright & Early: Boo! Edition
Good morning, Nashville. Happy Halloween! Well… almost. Before you go busting out your crazy costumes, the Tennessee Highway Patrol is reminding us all to be careful this weekend as Halloween is one of the most dangerous holidays for young kids and pedestrians. So drive safe or call (or text!) a cab, watch out for kiddos and keep the party out of the streets. Oh, and take lots of pictures. There’s also been some confusion about when trick-or-treating is happening, so you can find out what’s going on in your part of town.
- Hopefully! Following the arrests of 26 gang members earlier this year, Metro Police say they’ve essentially destroyed the Nashville Bloods and driven the rest of the gangs into hiding. Several months later, there still hasn’t been anymore gang-related gunfire.
- Meanwhile in Lawrence County… This is a story about an angry cow who escaped from a Lawrence County farm, stomping pedestrians and visiting the playground and wandering into Hardees and basically leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. As you can imagine, this story does not have a happy ending but it’s still worth the read.
- Bits & pieces. How’s this for depressing? The old Seanachie Pub could turn into a CVS … More than 700,000 absentee and early vote ballots were cast during the early voting period, which ended yesterday … BNA has now started using those new body scanning machines that everyone loves … The Metro Council wants to know exactly why MTA employees were kept at work while the building was flooding in May.
Photo by dotsandlines.
Good morning, Nashville. Happy Halloween! Well… almost. Before you go busting out your crazy costumes, the Tennessee Highway Patrol is reminding us all to be careful this weekend as Halloween is one of the most dangerous holidays for young kids and pedestrians. So drive safe or call (or text!) a cab, watch out for kiddos [...]
Happy Hour: Howlin’ At The Moon
- Garth Brooks is swooping into Nashville on December 17th to play a flood relief benefit concert at the Bridgestone, which is expected to raise somewhere around $500,000. [WPLN]
- A fancy-pants computer program stopped a violent sex offender from entering Smyrna Elementary School this week. School staff use the program to scan the IDs of people entering the building a cross-check them with several criminal databases. [WKRN]
- If you’ve ever wondered how much state employees make (or don’t make!) you can now dig through the updated salary database. [Tennessean]
- A TSU student was shot and killed near campus last night and the shooter is still on the loose. Police say the victim’s friends took him to Skyline Medical Center because they didn’t know of any closer hospitals. [WKRN]
- An MTSU building was evacuated today thanks to a suspicious package that turned out to just be a plain ol’ metal briefcase. [WTVF]
- Starting next August, Belmont students, faculty and staff will no longer be able to smoke anywhere on campus. And BePo will slap you with a big, fat fine if you do. [WKRN]
- Consider this your friendly reminder to plant those bulbs so that we have some pretty flowers to stare and sniff in the spring! [Tennessean]
Photo by hikenandhistory.
Garth Brooks is swooping into Nashville on December 17th to play a flood relief benefit concert at the Bridgestone, which is expected to raise somewhere around $500,000. [WPLN] A fancy-pants computer program stopped a violent sex offender from entering Smyrna Elementary School this week. School staff use the program to scan the IDs of people [...]
Happy Hour: Turn, Turn, Turn
- The early voting numbers are pretty sad for Davidson, Williamson and a handful of other counties around Tennessee. If you haven’t voted yet, check out all the election information and be sure to snag the “I Voted” Foursquare badge if you’re into that. [Tennessean]
- Vince Young made his first practice appearance today since he twisted up his knee and ankle pretty badly a few weeks ago. [Tennessean]
- Tennessee has managed to pull together $25 million for a small business fund in hopes of getting more businesses off the ground and lowering the unemployment rate. [WSMV]
- MTSU students are trying to get the ball rolling on a name change around the school’s 100th anniversary. What are they going to name it? We don’t know. But we at Nashvillest do strongly recommend they put it to an internet vote and notify Stephen Colbert, stat. [Tennessean]
- Attention, Planet Franklin: Your water and sewer rates are probably going up, because your Water Department is broke. [WSMV]
- A woman flipped her minivan on Deadrick St. this morning while trying to make a u-turn; Metro Police were on the scene and called it “one of those freak accidents.” [WKRN]
Photo by fallingwater123.
The early voting numbers are pretty sad for Davidson, Williamson and a handful of other counties around Tennessee. If you haven’t voted yet, check out all the election information and be sure to snag the “I Voted” Foursquare badge if you’re into that. [Tennessean] Vince Young made his first practice appearance today since he twisted [...]
Bright & Early: Look To The Sky Edition
Good morning, Nashville. Some Metro Schools officials aren’t feeling extremely hopeful about the No Child Left Behind results coming their way next month. Because the school system changed its standardized testing methods, resulting in lower scores, it could have a significant impact on their NCLB standings. Things have gotten dire enough in years past with NCLB that Metro Schools nearly had to be taken over by the state or Mayor Dean. But after some big shakeups and under the new leadership of Director Jesse Register, they’ve managed to avoid that so far.
- Stay in school, kids. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development says that Tennessee is on track to lose 15,000 jobs in goods production this year, and that a college education is going to be “vital” to those who want to make a decent living.
- Replacing the Fairgrounds? Mayor Dean is working to secure a lease for part of the Hickory Hollow Mall to transform it into an expo center that would eventually replace the Fairgrounds. The ordinance is moving through the Metro Council in competition with another ordinance that would keep the Fairgrounds space intact.
- Bits & pieces. Mayor Dean rode the Music City Star this morning to remind us all that it still exists … Former Vanderbilt Coach Roy Skinner, 80, passed away on Monday … If you weren’t at the Adventure Science Center’s Way Late Play Date last night, you missed a really good time … Basil Marceaux announced his write-in candidacy for governor … Metro is letting parents decide whether their kids trick-or-treat on Saturday or Sunday, which means that the rest of us are on candy duty for two nights instead of one.
Photo by Vic James Photography.
Good morning, Nashville. Some Metro Schools officials aren’t feeling extremely hopeful about the No Child Left Behind results coming their way next month. Because the school system changed its standardized testing methods, resulting in lower scores, it could have a significant impact on their NCLB standings. Things have gotten dire enough in years past with NCLB [...]
Happy Hour: After The Storm
- All things considered, we made out slightly better than the rest of the country in the storm department this afternoon. Here are some scary pictures from around the midstate, though. [WKRN]
- If you’ve noticed the new artwork popping up around the Music City Center construction site, you can thank the kids from the Oasis Center and Rocketown for attempting to beautify that particular eyesore. So far, 11 of the 50 panels of artwork have been installed along the fencing on Demonbreun. [City Paper]
- People shelled out nearly $3 million on foreclosed homes in Nashville this past week as part of a giant week-long Southeastern US foreclosure sale. [Tennessean]
- The Haunted Nashville haunted house made a national list of top 25 haunted attractions in the country, if you’re into that sort of thing! We’ll probably just stick with the corn mazes, in broad daylight. [Tennessean]
- Now for the most important news of the day: The IRS auction of Young Buck’s possessions has been cancelled. He said so on Twitter (“Sorry PEOPLE. There will be no AUCTION of my STUFF tomorrow!! Lol!! TRY AGAIN. HUH ???“) His lawyers were able to file suit to stop the auction when he agreed to sell some real estate to pay off all the taxes he apparently owes. We’re just sad that no one can buy his three-foot Santa Claus decoration now. [Tennessean]
Photo by SmilinBuddha.
All things considered, we made out slightly better than the rest of the country in the storm department this afternoon. Here are some scary pictures from around the midstate, though. [WKRN] If you’ve noticed the new artwork popping up around the Music City Center construction site, you can thank the kids from the Oasis Center [...]
Bright & Early: Stirring The Pot Edition
Good morning, Nashville. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention all the storms headed our way, though we suspect you’ve already looked out the window this morning and seen for yourselves. As of 9:30am, all of Middle Tennessee was placed under a tornado watch until 5pm for a particularly nasty line of storms that’s expected to sweep through the region around noon and bring some possible tornadoes, large hail and wind gusts in excess of 70 mph. So! Go ahead and locate a basement or windowless room with wi-fi and plan on spending a good bit of your day down there. Here are some quick safety tips for you, too.
- And here we thought Cool Springs was safe. A woman and her daughter were driving around Cool Springs just minding their own business, when out of nowhere… BLAMMO! A hedge apple came crashing through their windshield. Thankfully no one was injured and Franklin Police suspect that someone fired it out of a potato gun.
- Building on floodplains? The Metro Council put the kibosh on a bill that would’ve banned any sort of development on the city’s floodplains. Instead, they’ll be working on an ordinance that will require developers to build things in a way that doesn’t put the surrounding area at any greater risk of flooding.
- Bits & pieces. The two gubernatorial front runners have each been assigned security details by the state in the days leading up to the election … If you see Franklin firefighters running around in pink uniforms, just remember that it’s for a good cause … Tell all of your out-of-town friends it’s a good time to visit, as Nashville’s hotel rates dropped more than any other city during Q3. Just maybe don’t mention the bedbugs … Williamson County Schools are still trying to rezone.
Photo by k. edge.
Good morning, Nashville. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention all the storms headed our way, though we suspect you’ve already looked out the window this morning and seen for yourselves. As of 9:30am, all of Middle Tennessee was placed under a tornado watch until 5pm for a particularly nasty line of storms that’s [...]
Happy Hour: Corn Daze
- White’s Creek High School had a rough day today, with school officials seizing a loaded gun from one student’s locker after another student told them about it. The gun had five rounds in it. [Tennessean]
- Four of Metro’s laptops were stolen from the Music City Center construction site over the weekend, and officials promise us that there was no sensitive data on them. [City Paper]
- Some folks in the West End-Richland neighborhood are very upset that NES went and chopped down all their trees and shrubs! [Tennessean]
- Fisk University is still trying to sell off at least part of their art collection to keep the school from going bankrupt. [WSMV]
Photo by niseag03.
White’s Creek High School had a rough day today, with school officials seizing a loaded gun from one student’s locker after another student told them about it. The gun had five rounds in it. [Tennessean] Four of Metro’s laptops were stolen from the Music City Center construction site over the weekend, and officials promise us [...]
It’s Official, Y’all: U2 Coming To Nashville In 2011, Tickets On Sale Friday
Next year’s Best of Nashville needs a new category: Best Worst-Kept Secret EVER (and we’ve got the first nomination). It’s with no shock but plenty of awe that we report today’s big news – U2 is definitely coming to town in 2011, and their first Nashville show since 1981 (yes, it’s been 29 years) will be at Vanderbilt Stadium on July 2 with opener Florence And The Machine. The show goes on sale to the public this Friday, October 29 at 10am, so get those credit cards ready! Ticket prices will be $30, $55, $95 & $250, and will be available at LiveNation.com, all Ticketmaster locations or the Vanderbilt Sarratt box office.
Photo by Martijn Reemst.
Next year’s Best of Nashville needs a new category: Best Worst-Kept Secret EVER (and we’ve got the first nomination). It’s with no shock but plenty of awe that we report today’s big news – U2 is definitely coming to town in 2011, and their first Nashville show since 1981 (yes, it’s been 29 years) will be at [...]
Bright & Early: Simmer Down Edition
Good morning, Nashville. So how about all those storms last night? Some pretty severe weather rolled through middle Tennessee last night with nearly two inches of rain, damaging winds, a handful of tornadoes and crazy enough lightning to start a house fire. We’ll likely see another round of storms tomorrow followed by cooler weather. And it’s about time, seeing as it’s almost November and everything.
- All hail the Sewer Hog. There is a curious creature downtown, and it’s called the Sewer Hog. The Sewer Hog is that giant red thing that’s been sitting in the middle of Broadway for the last few months apparently cleaning out the city’s sewer systems since the flood carried so much mud and debris into them. Without it, we could have raw sewage flowing into the streets.
- Insert Streetcar Named Desire reference here. The city’s latest public transit dream: A streetcar that runs from Harding and White Bridge down West End to Lower Broadway. Metro is currently studying how feasible and practical this would be and may eventually compete for federal grant money to fund the project.
- Bits & pieces. The Titans had us on the edge of our seats yesterday, but they managed to pull out a 37-19 win over the Eagles … The Tennessean would like to know why all of our Halloween costumes are so dirty … A Nashville filmmaker’s documentary about a quadriplegic MMA fighter will premiere on ESPN next month.
Photo by hikenandhistory.
Good morning, Nashville. So how about all those storms last night? Some pretty severe weather rolled through middle Tennessee last night with nearly two inches of rain, damaging winds, a handful of tornadoes and crazy enough lightning to start a house fire. We’ll likely see another round of storms tomorrow followed by cooler weather. And [...]
The Weekendist: All Circuits Bent Edition
It’s not often that our top weekend picks range anywhere from chili to handmade artisan gifts to spooky stories to a circuit-bending convention – But that’s what October is for! Whether you want to start breaking in your Halloween costume early or spend a low-key day browsing at the flea market, Nashville’s got something for everyone this weekend. Check out our picks:
Edgehill Village Artisan Fair. Saturday, 10am-5pm, Edgehill Village, free. In their own words: all kinds of jewelry, paintings, photography, linocuts, handmade scarves, mittens and blankets, stationary, upcycled goods, masks, ceramic ornaments, handcrafted home accessories and much more! We’d be sold on that alone, but throw in live music, delicious food at bargain prices and discounts galore, and we’ll be first in line.
Music City Chili Cookoff. Saturday, 11am-3pm, Centennial Park, $5. What could be better in the cooler fall temperatures than a piping hot bowl of chili? …Or ten? Self-proclaimed chili masters will compete to take home the title of the best chili in Music City, and attendees get to taste the rewards. Live music and inflatable bouncy castles will entertain the whole family, if chili’s not enough.
Haunted Museum Annual Ghost Story Festival. Saturday, 1-4pm, Tennessee State Museum, free. The 10th annual Ghost Story Festival is happening this weekend, and it’s worth coming out to Tennessee State Museum for a scary afternoon. A ghost trail with prizes along the way, tasty treats and plenty of spooky storytelling are the highlights of the festival.
Circuit Benders Ball. 2pm-12:30am, 1307 Jewell Street, $10 festival pass, $15 per workshop. Your weekend is about to get a whole lot nerdier. Circuit bending, the crazy-cool practice of short-circuiting small electronics (such as children’s toys) to create new instruments, is coming to town in a big way. Attend workshops and learn how to doctor your own electronics during the day, then settle back and watch the incredible invented instruments in action during an evening of concerts.
Retune Nashville. Saturday, 6:30-11pm, Soundcheck, $35-50. Benefitting musicians who lost equipment in May’s floods, Retune Nashville’s Benefit Concert & Auction features more musicians and auction items than we could ever hope to list. Your ticket price gets you a full evening of the city’s finest entertainment, plus food and drink from some of our favorite local joints. Click HERE to purchase tickets and check out the full lineup.
Halloween in the Gulch 10K/5K Run & Block Party. Saturday, 5pm, The Gulch, $35. Suit up and get ready to run! It wouldn’t be a Halloween party without costumes, but you’d better pick one that leaves you at least partially mobile – Halloween in the Gulch includes a nighttime 5K and 10K race! After the race, enjoy music, dancing and lots of beer with all of your costumed friends. And yes, there are prizes for the best costumes!
Nashville Flea Market. 7am-6pm (Saturday), 7am-5pm (Sunday), Tennessee State Fairgrounds, free ($4 parking). Tennessee’s #1 flea market is right in our backyard. The Nashville Flea Market makes an appearance one weekend a month, and if you’re looking for quirky vintage treasures or just an interesting place to poke around, the flea market is the place to be this weekend.
Photo by jamiehladkey.
It’s not often that our top weekend picks range anywhere from chili to handmade artisan gifts to spooky stories to a circuit-bending convention – But that’s what October is for! Whether you want to start breaking in your Halloween costume early or spend a low-key day browsing at the flea market, Nashville’s got something for [...]
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