• Man, y’all must have really liked you some Paradise Park according to the folks that have signed a petition asking the owners to keep the downtown bar and burger joint open. More than 2,600 people had signed the petition as of Wednesday night.
• They mayor’s office committed last week to fully allocating money for affordable housing in next year’s budget despite the projected shortfall, saying that a previous proposal to tie the money to property sales was not the right decision. Grants awarded from the Barnes Housing Trust Fund is how Nashville allocates money for affordable housing.
• The Chattanooga bus driver in the 2016 fatal accident has been accused of statutory rape in Nashville, allegedly having sex with a 14 year-old in the home of a family he had been staying with because he was said to be receiving death threats. He had been sentenced to four years in prison for his role in the accident, but was out awaiting appeal.
• If there is any such thing as buzzer beater in soccer, Nashville SC got one Saturday night. And ? that hash tag.
• Nothing says “slow sports news week” like an article asking what Nashville sports icons would appear on a hypothetical sports Mt. Rushmore.
• Fisk University in North Nashville has again been put on probation by its accreditors because of its finances, but university administrators say the group used older data from 2015 in their determination. Enrollment at the private historically black university had dropped to 705 students last fall.
• The Tennessee Attorney General says that folks texting in the school pickup line may be breaking the law. The AG was asked to look into the question because the law itself covers school zones, but didn’t specify parking lots.
• The Metro School Board has been asked to deny the only charter school application filed this year by MNPS leadership. The board has approved only one new charter school (public schools operated by private organizations) since 2015, after approving 19 in the four years prior.
• It’s  not your imagination, Nashville’s restaurants really are that noisy according to a study sponsored by a hearing aid company. They say the hard surfaces and high ceilings contribute to the loudness.
• That free (but huge) 100 year-old pipe organ that they were going to throw away if a taker couldn’t be found has stayed right where it is and was incorporated into the event space. The restoration project cost about $20,000.
• And finally, if you’re looking for something to brighten your day, check out the photos from Nashville Scene’s “Pet Issue.”

Photo by Sam Wilson. Want to see your photo featured here?