Good morning, Nashville. We’re on the edge of our seats today, waiting to learn exactly where Governor Phil is making his $160 million in state budget cuts. Early discussions included 1,000 state job cuts, but it looks like that’s being avoided – at least for now. We’ll get the first word today, with a final release of budget revisions by Friday. UPDATE: The proposed budget cuts include 717 state layoffs by June 2010, with another 656 positions left vacant.

• Enough, already. After this weekend’s cassette tape of terror, yet another homemade explosive device caused minor mayhem late last night, at a Starbucks on Edmonson Pike, of all places. We don’t know why nine people were sitting on a Starbucks patio at midnight, but we now know what we won’t be doing with our weekday nights!
• Bang bang bang. The new law allowing folks to tote guns while in state parks passed through state legislature last night, and will go to Governor Phil for final approval. This solves that baffling and annoying problem of what to do with your gun when you want to stop at the state park before heading out for an evening at the local bar!
• See, mom? I told you I needed a bigger allowance. Three teenage girls racked up $1,800 in illegal credit card debt in Franklin last week. They found a credit card on the ground and went a-spendin’! Unfortunately for them, their fling was caught on camera, and their crimes carry felony charges. They haven’t been hauled in yet, but we’re pretty sure it’s only a matter of time.
• Bits & pieces. Spring Hill GM workers are voting today to determine if they will accept the proposed new employment contract … The Tennessean brings us another riveting headline about Twitter and ‘tweets’ and stuff … Dickerson Pike is getting a facelift.