- A Vanderbilt University poll taken between February 8 and 19 estimates that about 48 percent of registered voters currently support the May 1 transit referendum, with those against at 28 percent, leaving 30 percent uncommitted one way or the other. The margin of error was 4.6 percentage points.
- A group seeking to recall Mayor Megan Barry says it has collected 1,500 signatures towards the 60,000 it would require to trigger such an election. The group plans to attempt to collect signatures at early voting sites.
- The Metro Council committee investigating the circumstances around the mayor’s admitted affair with her former head of security has selected a Memphis law firm lead by a former Tennessee Attorney General. The firm will charge $395 per hour for its work, the lower cost of the two finalist.
- Former circuit court judge Casey Moreland was indicted on additional charges on Thursday for allegedly using money from the drug court he founded to bribe a witness. Moreland’s trial is set to begin June 19 even if more charges are expected.
- Thank you to AuntB for reminding us that this exists, and unfortunately so does the original.
- The Metro Nashville Public Schools saw a surprising drop in enrollment in 2017 of about 500 students, which will reduce their per-capita funding from the state because they had expected a 1,500 student increase instead based on people moving to the mid-state. At least two council members suggest that immigrants may be keeping their children out of public schools because of the current political climate.
- MNPS also advised parents about anticipated student walk-outs on March 14 and April 20 protesting gun violence in schools, saying that principals will work with demonstrators to provide assembly space on campus for participants while also warning that leaving school would result in an unexcused absence. Nationwide demonstrations were organized after the deadly shooting in Parkland, Florida last month.
- Police say that a midtown bar patron pulled a handgun on another man and demanded that he apologize for something said to his friend. No word on whether he actually apologized, though it seems likely.
- We are not entirely sure what to make of Lifehacker’s list of tips for traveling in Nashville from their readers, but there are 90 of them. No mention of things-we-can’t-call-pedal-taverns-for-trademark-reasons, so it at least has that going for it.
- WSMV takes a look at the re-purposing of Second Avenue’s downtown century-old historic buildings to meet today’s tourism demand. No, The Spaghetti Factory isn’t going anywhere.
- The Nashville Predators (42-14-9) have now won eight games in a row, wrapping up their four-game road trip with victories Thursday in Edmonton (27-34-4) 4-2, Friday in overtime in Vancouver (24-42-9) 4-3 and Sunday in overtime in Colorado (35-24-6) 4-3. They return home tomorrow to take on the Dallas Stars (37-23-5).
- The Tennessean has a great profile on David Poile, the General Manager for the Nashville Predators since its inception. Poile the winning-est GM in the history of the NHL, amassing 1,320 (and counting) victories.
- Lipscomb University’s men’s basketball claimed an NCAA berth with a win over Florida Gulf Coast for the Atlantic Sun Conference championship. The Bisons (yes, that’s how it is spelled) are making their first trip to the tournament.
- Belmont Universty’s women’s basketball team qualified for the NCAA tournament by defeating UT Martin in overtime for the Ohio Valley Conference championship. The Belmont men’s team fell to Murray State.
- And finally, the Nashville Zoo celebrated the first birthday of its history-making clouded leopard cub, Niran. ?
Photo by Chris Wage. Want to see your photo featured here?