• PSA: Today is the last day of the Big Payback, a 24 hour event benefiting Nashville area non-profit organizations. Many of these organizations are unable to hold annual fundraising events and need your support.
• There were still 9,500 or so people without power last night, including Nashville Mayor John Cooper. NES warned that it may be weeks before Sunday’s “derecho” storm damage is fully repaired.
• The storm heavily damaged the specialty trees at the Nashville Zoo’s animal exhibits, though none of the animals were injured. The zoo is collecting donations to help rebuild.
• Four construction workers were caught on the roof of a house in South Nashville during Sunday’s storms, making for a terrifying video. Luckily, nobody was seriously injured.
• Tennessee reported 239 deaths from the coronavirus in the state, with 13,938 cases.
• The Nashville Rescue Mission will not be allowed to accept new residents and those that leave the facility will not be allowed to return under an order by the city’s health department. The facility had more than 100 positive cases for the coronavirus.
• A group supporting Metro Animal Care and Control (MACC) will deliver pet food for free to those in need through a telephone number.
• The Metro Council hosted its first virtual public hearing Tuesday night to allow residents to weigh in on about 40 zoning requests. It is the first hearing since March 5.
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center says they are holding back more than $6 million in charges for COVID-19 testing that will not be paid by insurance.
• The Council also rejected the $140,000 settlement agreement with the management company of the juvenile detention center where four escaped last November. All were captured after nearly two weeks of searches.
• Metro Nashville will pay more for curbside recycling under a new agreement with Waste Management in an already tough budget year, citing international trade disputes. A planned twice-monthly collection has already been postponed.
• The Metro Health Department has run out of its supply of free face masks Wednesday, the same day they were offered to the public.
• A group lead by councilmember at large Steve Glover gathered on Lower Broadway to protest the continued shutdown of the city’s bars and restaurants. Health officials say that the it is too early to resume “normal” operation to slow the spread of the virus.
• Airbnb says they will not allow any parties to be held at the properties they list, citing public health concerns. Violators are subject to being banned from the platform and referred to local police.
• The Slider House restaurant on Division Street has been cited $350 for failing to abide by rules prohibiting dining in the building, though the owners say the video shows they were complying. They are to date the only restaurant to be fined.
• Construction workers at the Fifth+Broadway development say that they concerned about workplace safety and a lack of transparency after at least two of them have tested positive for COVID-19.
• A group of Metro high school seniors are circulating a petition to demand an in-person graduation ceremony for the class of 2020. Some schools are arranging drive-thru style diploma pickups and participating in a county-wide virtual ceremony.
• Governor Bill Lee’s signature school voucher bill was declared unconstitutional by a Nashville judge Tuesday, though the state intends to appeal. The law passed by a single vote and only applies to Nashville and Memphis residents.
• Regular reminder to beware of scammers, particularly anyone offering services related to stimulus checks or unemployment filings.

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