• Happy Valentine’s Day! Nashvillest ❤️  you.
• Contact tracing, an early tool of the pandemic, has essentially been abandoned in Tennessee as asymptomatic cases become more common and with fewer staff and resources dedicated to the process. Instead, the state will only deploy the method in high risk areas such as nursing homes.
• Sources tell WKRN that Tennessee has temporarily stopped producing the new blue license plates amid concerns they cannot be picked up by automated license plate readers in the dark. An estimated 5.5 million plates are needed to replace the current mountain scene version.
• The city has fenced off a homeless encampment underneath the Jefferson Street Bridge, the latest attempt to try and close the camp in under a year. City officials say residents have been placed into housing, while homeless advocates dispute that assessment.
• Preservation group Historic Nashville says the renovations at The Arcade downtown could cause the building to be de-listed from the National Register of Historic Places, a designation granted by the National Park Service. Advocates say it depends on how the work proceeds.
• The state legislature will take up the return of some $318 million in funds that were shortchanged to Tennessee State University, though some lawmakers are questioning how the money will be spent.
• The legal bill for the Davidson County Election Commission’s decision to appeal a ruling that a tax referendum was improperly granted has cost the city more than $700,000 so far. Petitioners had sought a roll back of the city’s property tax increase along with changes to how recall elections are conducted.
• Nashville is considering whether to regulate electric bikes on the city’s greenways, a move opposed by Walk Bike Nashville as unnecessary without more data showing it is an issue.
• The home of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center may soon have a new landlord, as the state is looking to sign a long-term ground lease agreement with a developer. TPAC said in a statement that they support the move and it does not change their plans.
• Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel won the Associated Press’s NFL coach of the year award, a first in franchise history.
• Soccer season is still a few months away, but the new home of Nashville SC had its massive logo sign installed this past week.
• The Nashville Predators dropped a 5-2 game to the visiting Winnipeg Jets Saturday night. The team hosts the Washington Capitals tomorrow night.
• Metro Nashville Public School officials say they have found 12 handguns on school property so far this academic year.  A 17 year-old was charged Friday for the offense at Glencliff High School.
• A Greenbriar man was arrested for allegedly pointing a weapon at a motorist on I-40 near Church Street in an apparent road rage incident. The victim took multiple photos of the vehicle.
• The ex-wife of Prince (the music artist) penned a letter on behalf of PETA to to André Prince Jeffries (of hot chicken fame) asking her to offer a vegan version of the local sandwich.
• Metro Nashville Police’s academy is toning down their notoriously high-stress program that has led to climbing drop-out rates and poor representation among women and minorities.
• MNPS is down about 72 bus drivers right now as those remaining continue to push for better pay and working conditions.

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