• Public health officials in Nashville announced that a case of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, has been identified in the city, bringing the confirmed cases in the state to three. City leaders urged caution and frequent hand washing, but said there was no reason to panic.
• Mayor John Cooper addressed the Metro Council Thursday night, a rare appearance by a sitting mayor, to update them on the city’s tornado response.
• Nearly 400 homes and 200 businesses were destroyed in Nashville by last Tuesday’s tornado, along with 600 electric poles and several schools and churches. Davidson, Wilson, and Putnam counties have been declared a federal disaster areas.
• Students at several of those damaged schools will start attending classes at alternate locations this morning. Bus service will run to the new locations.
• A local radio station is apologizing for what what listeners called a “disgusting” segment where the on-air personality suggested that more deaths occurred in the counties to our east because the residents were less educated.
• As Nashville begins the long road to recovery, officials are warning against residents falling for scammers looking to take advantage of the disaster. Always check references and licenses before agreeing to work.
• Tennessee State University’s agricultural campus sustained an estimated $20 million in damage from the tornado, with school administrators declaring it a total loss.
• Metro Public Works provided an update on their efforts to remove debris, collect trash, re-open roads and repair traffic signals and stop signs. Seventy six of the 116 roads initially closed have been re-opened to vehicle traffic.
• An investigation into the city’s tornado warning system suggests that it worked correctly, but there are concerns about its effectiveness for residents who didn’t receive adequate notice. Sirens are not designed to be heard indoors, but weather radios should activate.
• City officials are asking residents to take special care to avoid blocking streets so that equipment can safely get to where it is needed. To that end, they have established shuttle service to lots near Nissan Stadium to the affected areas.
• North Nashville saw the destruction of numerous black-owned businesses that have been community cornerstones for generations. Residents worry about the future of those cultural centers.
• Groups are mobilizing to warn residents in North Nashville not to accept cash offers from unscrupulous real estate investors preying on their loss. Residents are urged to talk with these groups before selling to better understand their options.
• WeGo Public Transit is again embarking on a re-imagining of transit service in the city through a series of listening sessions. Chief issues are funding and improvements to the existing bus system.
• Nashville SC (0-2-0) dropped their first road contest against the Portland Timbers (1-1-0) in a 0-1 game. The team returns home to host Toronto FC (1-0-1) this Saturday.
• The Nashville Predators (34-26-8) exacted a bit of revenge against the Dallas Stars (37-23-8) in their first meeting since the Winter Classic, earning a 2-0 shutout Thursday night before taking another game 1-0 from on the on the road Saturday afternoon. The Preds continue their five-game road trip tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens (31-30-9).
• One construction worker got a front-row seat to last Tuesday’s tornado from atop a 400-ft crane over downtown. Very adult language, but can you blame him?
• Neighbors got together for an impromptu concert in a badly damaged area of East Nashville, offering residents and volunteers a little respite from the heavy work at hand.
• Eater Nashville has a great rundown of how the city’s restaurants are faring in the aftermath of the tornado, including what was damaged and what has re-opened.
• A planned NRA firearm auction at the Country Music Hall of Fame has been canceled after the organization refused to comply with the museum’s no firearms policy.
• The I-440/I-65 interchange will be closed between 9 p.m. Friday, March 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 23 as crews continue the major project for one of Nashville’s busiest corridors.

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