Bright & Early: Recovery Continues Edition

Good morning, Nashville. It’s official: The Metro Council approved a bill that will divert part of the city’s hotel taxes to help the Grand Ole Opry House get back on its feet after sustaining $20 million in flood damages. At last night’s meeting, the council also canned their idea for reimbursing car washes and nurseries who had to shut down for the month of May due to water restrictions because, well, it would’ve been expensive. There’s also a chance that we could score some federal grants for those businesses somewhere down the line.

Lots and lots of rain. Some overnight flooding and landslides closed schools in Macon and Smith counties this morning. Though the weather doesn’t seem too worrisome at this point, we are still in a flash flood watch until 10pm with 2-4 inches of rain expected, so be cautious as you’re out and about today.
What now? Folks in Perry County are getting increasingly nervous as their stimulus funding expiration date inches closer and closer. The money was used last year to to create nearly 400 jobs in order to ease the sky-high unemployment rate, but since the money runs out in September, many of the jobs could disappear.
Bits & pieces. Tennessee lottery scholarships won’t be seeing any major cuts this time around … Vanderbilt and Metro Parks are teaming up with the help of a new grant to curb obesity in preschoolers … Jeff Yarbro filed an official petition for an expedited recount yesterday in the continuing saga of District 21 … St. Cecilia Academy is celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary (that would be their 150th) this week.

Photo by jsdavis82.

Nashvillest