• A federal judge has temporarily blocked the law effectively banning school mask mandates from going into effect following the filing of three lawsuits against it shortly after Governor Bill Lee signed it into law.
• Vaccination clinics set up at Nashville high schools have distributed hundreds of doses to kids age 5-11 since they opened Wednesday.
• Bridgestone Arena no longer requires proof of vaccinations to attend sporting events or concerts, citing the falling case counts in Davidson County and the surrounding area.
• City leaders are continuing to debate using COVID-19 relief money to pay for cleanup and surveillance at a city park that has seen a surge in homeless residents. Opponents to the move say the money would be better spent funding efforts to house those individuals.
• Police have arrested a man they say committed multiple carjackings and robberies on Thursday in a high speed chase that exceeded 100 mph before crashing on I-40. His name and face were initially withheld to allow for police to conduct a line-up identification with the victims.
• Some 64 MNPS bus drivers called out sick on Friday, leading to missed routes and students not arriving to school by the start of class, a continuation of struggles the district has had this year with pay issues and morale. The district is offering $1,000 bonuses for perfect attendance for drivers between now and the holiday break .
• Speaking of buses, a Nashville party bus company provided the Trousdale County High School transportation for its playoff game in Meigs County northeast of Chattanooga.
• The friends and family of Dallas Barrett protested outside Whiskey Row bar on Lower Broadway, the same bar where a medical examiner says died of asphyxiation after an encounter with bar security.  In a statement, the bar’s management denies any wrongdoing.
• A WSMV investigation shows that noise pollution from Lower Broadway reached as high as 70 decibels, though that number is analogous to city traffic. One employer cited the noise as part of its rationale for moving its offices out of the area.
• The Nashville chapter of the NAACP says that the privately-run Trousdale Turner Correctional Center should be closed for its treatment of prisoners, particularly black men. The group highlighted that the 37208 zip code once had highest incarceration rate in the country, with many winding up at the facility.
• The average price of an apartment in Nashville has gone from $1,150 per month a year ago to a record $1,500 per month now according to an industry report. Related, MDHA says more landlords should accept Section 8 vouchers to help provide more affordable housing in the city.
• Graffiti covering part of an overhead interstate sign near Rosa Parks Boulevard will cost as much as $10,000 to repair, TDOT says. The repair process will include removing the catwalk that enabled easier access to the front of the sign.
• The Nashville Electric Service will be sending out automated phone calls warning customers about potential scams, with criminals posing as NES staff demanding payment in gift cards, etc. to avoid disconnections. NES says they only communicate account information via mail or on their website.
• The Tennessee Titans (8-2) held off a late surge by the New Orleans Saints (5-4) to win 23-21 Sunday at home. The team hosts the Houston Texans (1-8) next Sunday.
• The Nashville Predators (9-5-1) beat the St. Louis Blues (8-4-2) Thursday 3-2  in overtime on the road and knocked off the Arizona Coyotes (1-13-1) 4-1 Saturday at home. Winners of eight of their last ten, the Preds travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs (10-5-1).
• Vanderbilt University released renderings of planned major upgrades to their football stadium, replacing the endzone seating of the stadium with new buildings for its first major upgrade in four decades. The project is set to break ground next fall.
• Von Elrod’s in Germantown has embraced technology as a way to cope with a tighter labor market, aiming to increase service efficiency without needing to hire as many staff members.
• Police say an officer and K9 were injured in an altercation with a woman who broke into a church through a window. She had been previously arrested for chasing after congregants at a different church with a steel pipe.
• Edley’s Barbecue is eyeing an October 2022 opening for its Nolensville neighborhood location, its fourth location in the Nashville area.
• An artist recently completed a North Nashville mural honoring the late Rep. John Lewis, who alongside other civil rights activists led the sit ins that desegregated Nashville’s lunch counters.
• The Fisk University Jubilee Singers marked their 150th Anniversary with a special event at the Ryman  Auditorium this past weekend. The group was founded  October 6, 1871.
• The Christmas Village market at Fairgrounds Nashville is marking its 60th year, returning for the first time this holiday season since the COVID-19 pandemic  began. Tickets are available in advance or at the door.
• The Nashville Scene has a feature story on the final night of business for the Hermitage Cafe, a frequent spot for third-shift workers and late night revelers.
• And finally, the Nashville Zoo has all you ever wanted to know about the personalities of the animals in its Cape Porcupine exhibit.

Photo by Sharon Mollerus. Want to see your photo featured here?