Good morning, Nashville. One of the hardest-hit areas during the flood was Riverbend Plantation in Bellevue, and residents are understandably upset that they didn’t qualify for Metro’s first round of buyouts. With some of the rebuilding costs reaching upwards of $50,000, these folks still managed to fall short of the stipulations for the program, which allows Metro to buy and bulldoze what’s left of people’s destroyed homes who live in the floodplain. There’s a chance that they could receive enough federal funding to expand the program, but they’re encouraging people who haven’t already qualified to start rebuilding.
- Computer glitch. Folks receiving Tennessee’s unemployment benefits had a bit of a scare when 20,000 letters accidentally went out informing people that their benefits would be discontinued. The result has been a significant delay for people who have had to re-prove their eligibility.
- Mass exodus. In the last six months, Metro has lost three major department heads including Police Chief Ronal Serpas, and those departments are currently running under interim directors. However, Mayor Dean says he’s not concerned and isn’t really in a hurry to fill the slots with more permanent directors.
- Bits & pieces. Thanks to the flood the Metro Action Commission has its hands more full than usual with its summer lunch program … Someone keeps dumping important trash behind a West Nashville church … The Ronald McDonald House needs some serious help with flood recovery … We’ll sure miss ya, Kevin Mawae … Centennial Hospital has seen a big increase in spider bites since everyone started gutting houses and such … Thank goodness someone is policing those giant inflatable people.
Photo by urbanwoodchuck.