• Mayor David Briley and some Metro Council members are at odds over whether to raise property taxes to meet a budget shortfall, with the mayor contending that a tax increase would force more people to move out of their homes after already paying an increase because of last year’s reassessment. Supporters of the increase say that it is necessary to meet the city’s needs.
• Google Fiber’s “microtrenching” technique is running into some very real issues when it comes to road maintenance, as one East Nashville neighborhood has learned the hard way. The finger-pointing on this one is going to be one for the ages.
• Paradise Park, the downtown restaurant and bar on Broadway, will close next month to make way for a new concept from Strategic Hospitality, which also owns Pinewood Social and Merchant’s. The owners say they aren’t going to be yet another bar-named-after-a-we’re-told-its-country-star venue.
• Here’s a run down of some of the more notable incidents from CMA Fest week (and probably some inspiration for next year’s CMApocalypse Bingo board). Shout out to the guy that peed in a water fountain (?!)
• The United States, Mexico and Canada were awarded the 2026 World Cup, with Nashville a potential candidate to host at least a game at Nissan Stadium. This year’s quadrennial tournament, in which the US team failed to qualify to participate, starts today in Russia.
• A construction site at The Fairgrounds Nashville has been hit by vandalism in recent days, with acts of sabotage leading investigators to believe that they are premeditated attacks aimed at slowing or stopping progress on the project. City leaders and fairgrounds supporters are at odds over the future of the property, which is slated to be home to an MLS stadium and other development projects.
• Nashville SC broke the USL record for season ticket sales in an inaugural season, and had a rather pointed message for doubters.
• Is it too early to start thinking about hockey? The Nashville Predators announced their preseason schedule, with the first game set for September 17.
• The Metro Parks & Recreation board has formally denied a request to rename Hadley Park between TSU and Fisk for Malcom X. Their policy says that a park, once named for a person, cannot be renamed.
• Four paramedics suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning while working at Bonnaroo this year. One has already left the hospital and the other three were expected to be released this week.
• A local music duo is really, super sorry they put out a blatantly transphobic song on their new album that they planned to promote at a show at a LGBQT bar in East Nashville. Bold move.
• The field is set for the August 2 Vice Mayor race with Metro Council members Sheri Weiner and Jim Shulman joining Matthew DelRossi for the job. Both the vice mayor and mayor will be on the ballot again next August.
• And finally, the Andean bear exhibit at the Nashville Zoo is getting some national attention after a video of one of the two siblings “dancing” with a young boy went viral. Go check out the new exhibit!

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