Category: Local

Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board Votes to Ratify 19 Actions Taken During State-Appointed Board’s Tenure

Tom Pappert

The city-appointed Metro Nashville Airport Authority board voted unanimously on Wednesday to ratify 19 actions taken during the tenure of the previous board, which state officials appointed some of its members in accordance with a new Tennessee law.

After the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law in June, the Nashville mayor, Tennessee governor, and top two lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly would each select two members for the board. The board was selected and began operating, but a ruling by a panel of three judges at the Tennessee Chancery Court agreed with Metro Nashville’s argument that the law violates the Tennessee Constitution because it only applied to one Tennessee city.

Read the full story

Atlanta ‘Rapid Transitional Housing’ Project Will Offer ‘Micro-Units’ to Homeless People in January

Tom Pappert
Mayor Andre Dickens

It was confirmed on Friday that a $5 million “rapid transitional housing” project in Atlanta is on pace to accept 40 residents from the city’s homeless population beginning in January as city officials consider cracking down on homeless encampments.

The report came after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (D) toured the project, known as The Village, which WSB-TV reported “could house up to 40 people in individual units with private baths, social services,” and a “dog park” in “donated converted shipping containers and modular units.”

Read the full story

Tennessee State Sen. Heidi Campbell Encourages Supporters to Donate for ‘Abortion Rights’ This Christmas

Tom Pappert
Heidi Campbell

Tennessee State Senator Heidi Campbell encouraged her supporters to make political donations to her campaign in the name of “abortion rights” to celebrate Christmas, even declaring that a certificate explaining the donation would make a “great stocking stuffer.”

Campbell declared it “the season for saving abortion rights” in a post on X, formerly Twitter. She urged her supporters to donate a “gift” to her campaign “in honor of a loved one” for the “Holiday season.”

Read the full story

YoungkinWatch: Governor Ties Norfolk Sea Wall Funding to Completion of Delayed Casino in New Budget

Tom Pappert
Youngkin Casino

The budget Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) proposed on Wednesday includes nearly $95 million in funding for the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, also known as the Norfolk Sea Wall, but tied $21 million of the funding to the completion of a long-delayed casino.

Youngkin’s budget includes $73.8 million for the project, a series of improvements that includes levees, storm surge barriers, pump stations, and other improvements to manage the flow of water during storms. However, the budget calls for an additional $21 million in funding that is “contingent upon the City applying revenues generated by a casino gaming establishment.”

Read the full story

Arizona Poll Finds Abe Hamadeh Has 23-Point Lead in House Race, Buoyed by Endorsements from Trump, Lake

Tom Pappert
Abe Hamadeh

Abe Hamadeh holds a commanding, 23-point lead in the Republican primary race for the election for the House seat being vacated by Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) according to an internal poll published on Wednesday. The pollsters suggest Hamadeh’s early endorsements from former President Donald Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake may prove instrumental in securing the support of Arizona Republicans.

The National Public Affairs poll, published by German-owned Politico, found Hamadeh, who last ran to become Arizona Attorney General, has the support of 37 percent of Republicans in the district. Former Senate candidate Blake Masters was the only other candidate to reach double digits, polling in second with 14 percent.

Read the full story

City Council Votes to Give Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium to University of Memphis Without Government Oversight

Tom Pappert
Memphis City Council

The Memphis City Council voted on Tuesday to pass a resolution to formally transfer the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium to the University of Memphis, but the vote was only held after Memphis City Councilor JB Smiley withdrew a second resolution that would have established city oversight over the stadium under the university’s ownership.

Additionally, Memphis will direct $120 million of funds granted by the Tennessee General Assembly to the university to improve the stadium’s facilities.

The Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium hosts the University of Memphis Tigers, Southern Heritage Classic, and AutoZone Liberty Bowl. 

Read the full story

Audit Finds Tennessee Prisons Remain Understaffed, Face High Attrition

Tom Pappert

A 206-page audit of public and private prisons in Tennessee was released last week, revealing both state and private facilities in the state remain understaffed and face high employee attrition rates while struggling to offer sufficient beds and services for inmates.

The audit, conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, found that the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) “has taken action to address critical staffing shortages,” but warned both TDOC and CoreCivic, which manages private prisons in Tennessee, “are facing an ongoing and deeply rooted challenge of attrition within their ranks.”

Read the full story

Metro Nashville Police Investigate After Shooting Reported at Middle School Basketball Game

Tom Pappert

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is investigating after reports of shots fired at the LEAD Brick Church Middle School during a basketball game on Friday night.

Police were called to the middle school due to a fight that began inside, where students were competing in a basketball game, before the participants eventually left the building and continued the altercation outside, according to WKRN. Quoting law enforcement present at the scene, the outlet reported “one person shot at the victim,” who was not struck by the bullet.

Read the full story

Yilbeth de Caldera of Murfreesboro Trafficked Illegal Immigrants from Central America, Forced Them Into Prostitution: TBI Alleges

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported Friday the arrest of Yilibeth “Yibi” Rivero De Caldera in Murfreesboro, who they claim trafficked at least a dozen women from Central and South America to Tennessee, where she then forced them to perform “commercial sex acts” to repay their debt.

A press release reveals authorities allege “De Caldera provided financial assistance” for her “female Hispanic immigrants,” but after they arrived in Tennessee, they claim she “levied the victims with a large debt and forced them to engage in commercial sex acts at local hostels to pay back the debt.”

Read the full story

Fani Willis Maintains She ‘Is Not Responsible’ for Fulton County Jail, Argues Georgia Senators ‘Should Worry About the State Prisons’

Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis asserted in a Tuesday interview that Georgia state senators investigating the conditions at the Fulton County Jail should instead investigate the state prison system, though she said she “is not responsible” for the jail.

Willis made the remarks to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in response to an investigation launched in the Georgia Senate earlier this year over the conditions at the Fulton County Jail, where 10 inmates have died in 2023. One of the defendants in Willis’ high-profile Young Slime Life (YSL) racketeering case was stabbed in the jail this week, delaying the ongoing trial until 2024.

Read the full story

Nashville Police Charge Muslim Family with Beating Son After He Converted to Christianity

Tom Pappert

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) charged three members of a Muslim family with the alleged beating of their juvenile son and brother on Monday, and police records reportedly reveal the violence was sparked by the victim’s recent conversion to Christianity.

Police arrested Rawaaa Khawaji, Nick Kadum, and John Kadum, who are reportedly the mother, father, and older son of the juvenile victim discovered by law enforcement, according to police documents reviewed by Fox 17.

Read the full story

State Sen. Brent Taylor Demands Agreements Between Shelby County DA, ‘Restorative Justice Organizations’ Seeking to ‘Eliminate Bail’

Tom Pappert

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) issued a formal request on Tuesday to obtain agreements between Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s Office and three “restorative justice organizations” with the Tennessee District Attorneys Conference (TDAC). Taylor highlighted Mulroy’s agreements with three groups seeking to eliminate bail or decrease the number of his office’s prosecutions.

Taylor charged that “Memphians have a right to know if the agreements between the DA’s office and these outside groups are inconsistent with state laws and policies” in a press release and stressed that Mulroy’s “job is to further his prosecutorial duties, not embark on a restorative justice campaign.”

Read the full story

Georgia City Bans New Massage Parlors amid Human Trafficking Crackdown

Tom Pappert

The Roswell City Council issued a temporary moratorium on Monday to prohibit the city from granting new licenses for massage parlors in the Fulton County suburb located north of Atlanta. The moratorium follows a number of September human trafficking arrests and law enforcement actions at six massage parlors.

The city approved a resolution “instituting a temporary moratorium on new massage establishment licenses and occupational tax certificates” for 90 days “or until the City has properly amended its ordinances regarding massage establishments.”

Read the full story

Return of Covenant School Students to Burton Hills Campus Delayed Until April as Manifesto Legal Battle Continues

Tom Pappert

The Covenant School delayed the return of students and faculty to its Burton Hills campus until April 15 in a letter sent to parents that was published by Nashville media on Monday. Though not referenced in the letter, the delay follows the November publication of three leaked pages from the manifesto written by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, which were cited in an ongoing lawsuit seeking to compel the release of Hale’s full manifesto.

In the letter Covenant School officials sent to parents, reported by NewsChannel 5, officials cited concerns over safety and security, learning disruption, and teacher and student readiness. They also cited a desire to reopen the campus after the March 27 anniversary of the Covenant School shooting, during which Hale, a biological female who identified as a transgender male, fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three faculty.

Read the full story

Trump Expands Lead in Georgia as Poll Shows Biden Struggles with Young People

Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump has expanded his lead over President Joe Biden in Georgia, according to a new CNN-SRSS poll, which suggests the current president is struggling with voters in key demographics.

The poll showed Trump winning with 49 percent of the vote, while just 44 percent of voters said they would vote for Biden. The polling was conducted between November 30 and December 7, and pollsters reported a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.

Read the full story

Anti-Gun Tennessee Activist Group Called to ‘Disrupt’ Nashville Businesses for Being Pro-Israel

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Student Solidarity Network (TSSN) urged activists to “disrupt” a number of Nashville businesses on Saturday over their purported pro-Israel stance as part of the controversial Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Community organizing group Nour Nashville distributed a flyer on social media revealing a “BDS Direct Action” event scheduled for December 9. The group explained the post is a “call for action to disrupt businesses in support of genocide,” and urged its followers to message the TSSN “for details.” Neither Nour Nashville nor TSSN posted updates about their planned disruptions by press time.

Read the full story

NewsChannel 5 Legal Analyst Nick Leonardo Hit with Order of Protection in Davidson County

Tom Pappert

Nick Leonardo, who is a legal analyst for NewsChannel 5, is the subject of an order of protection filed with Davidson County General Sessions Court, a court official confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Friday.

The chief clerk for the General Sessions Court told The Star that the release of the order of protection filed against Leonardo was pending “clearance from Metro Legal,” as there is “a juvenile involved in this case,” which he stated meant the clerk’s office had “to make sure that this is not going to be placed under seal.”

The Chief Clerk for the General Sessions Clerk told The Star that release of the order of protection filed against Leonardo was pending “clearance from Metro Legal,” as there is “a juvenile involved in this case,” which he stated meant the clerk’s office had “to make sure that this is not going to be placed under seal.”

Read the full story

First Tennessee Human Trafficking Report in Decade Shows Abuse of Minors Rose over 800 Percent in Five Years

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) released a new Human Trafficking Statistical Report last week, revealing a sharp increase in human trafficking of minors in Tennessee in a five-year period.

The report, which was the first of its kind released in more than a decade, revealed there were 518 minor sex trafficking reports by November 5, and the agency notes that reports of minor sex trafficking “dramatically increased from 66 in 2016 to over 600 by 2021,” which is an increase of 809 percent. Similar numbers were reported in 2022 and 2023.

Read the full story

TSMC Agrees to Use Arizona Workers to Build Phoenix Semiconductor Plant After Previously Claiming State Lacks Skilled Labor

Tom Pappert

The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reached an agreement with the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council (AZBTC) on Wednesday, resolving a labor dispute that began when TSMC brought Taiwanese workers to complete the facility after claiming Arizona lacked the necessary skilled workforce.

An agreement struck between the parties after months of negotiations will see the number of Taiwanese professionals involved in building the TSMC semiconductor facility in Phoenix severely limited, with the union acceding that “circumstances may require” Taiwanese officials with “specialized experience,” according to a Bloomberg report citing a joint statement.

Read the full story

New Fulton County Jail Expected to Cost over $1.7 Billion, Finish in 2031

Tom Pappert

If funding for a new jail in Fulton County is approved next year, the facility could open in 2029, but will not be finished until 2031, according to a presentation received by Fulton County commissioners on Wednesday. The county considers a new jail as the Georgia State Senate investigates the conditions at the troubled Fulton County Jail.

The proposed facility will cost nearly $1.76 billion, and will boast enough room to provide accommodations and services for 4,416 inmates, according to the presentation delivered by consultants from architecture firms TreanorHL and STV.

Read the full story

Tennessee State Sen. Brent Taylor Wants Shelby County Judge, DA Investigated over ‘Illegal’ Release of Man Serving 162 Years

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) requested investigations on Wednesday into Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan and Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s Office to determine if they orchestrated the “illegal” release of a Memphis man serving a 162-year prison sentence and the decision to move double murderer off death row.

In a Wednesday press release, Taylor noted Skahan and Mulroy worked together to secure the 2022 release of Courtney Anderson, who they claimed received an unjust sentence of 162 years, by reducing his sentence to 15 years. That decision was overturned by the Tennessee Court of Appeals this year, with Judge J. Ross Dyer writing in his October 18 opinion that Skahan “illegally” granted clemency for Anderson by essentially commuting his sentence, a power which the state constitution solely grants to the Governor of Tennessee.

Read the full story

Metro City Council Votes Against Taser Upgrade for Metro Nashville Police Department

Tom Pappert

The Metro Nashville City Council voted against a new contract to purchase the latest model of Tasers for the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) on Tuesday, declining what proponents claimed was the opportunity to save money on new technology that will be more expensive to taxpayers when its purchase is eventually required.

Council Member Courtney Johnston (District 26) sponsored the resolution to expand the city’s ongoing contract with Axon, the company that manufactures and supports Taser devices, to upgrade to the company’s latest model.

Read the full story

YoungkinWatch: Williamsburg Festival Denies Hanukkah Celebration Ever Scheduled After Governor Condemns Cancellation

Tom Pappert

A Williamsburg music and arts festival is denying it ever scheduled a menorah lighting to celebrate Hanukkah after Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) condemned the group’s purported decision to cancel it amid Israel’s defensive war against Hamas.

News broke on Sunday that the 2nd Sundays Art and Music Festival in Williamsburg canceled a menorah lighting scheduled for its December 10 event, with The Virginia Gazette reporting that festival founder Shirley Vermillion “said 2nd Sundays are inclusive to different religions and cultures,” and reported that Vermillion stated the menorah lighting “seemed very inappropriate” due to what the outlet called “current events in Israel and Gaza.”

Read the full story

Knoxville Judge Sanctioned for Holding Campaign Event Inside Courtroom in Failed Bid to Win Re-Election

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct issued a public reprimand of Knoxville Municipal Court Judge John R. Rosson, 75, which was published Monday. It reveals that he used a Knoxville courtroom for a campaign press conference before losing his recent re-election bid after more than three decades in office.

In the public reprimand, the board revealed Rosson “held a campaign event” in his courtroom, inviting the media to attend, in which he stood in front of the bench and “accepted an endorsement from a lawyer,” then announced a second endorsement before making what he specifically referred to as a “campaign speech.” Local media reported that both endorsements came from former opponents.

Read the full story

Democratic Georgia State Senator Calls for Fulton County Sheriff to Resign for Jail ‘Crisis’

Tom Pappert

Georgia State Senator Joshua McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs) called for embattled Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat (D) to resign on Monday in response to the “crisis” at the Fulton County Jail.

McLaurin cited Labat’s recent controversies, which include allegations he used the jail’s Inmate Welfare Fund as a “slush fund” and questions about why medical bracelets purchased from a company tied to Georgia legislators were not being used at the facility, before calling for his resignation.

Read the full story

Arizona House Republicans Urge Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego Against ‘Relinquishing Local Control’ of Police With Federal Consent Decree

Tom Pappert
Mayor Kate Gallego

Arizona State Representative David Marshall (R-Snowflake) led a group of 20 Republican lawmakers in a letter urging Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego not to enter into a consent decree with the Department of Justice (DOJ), warning it would “turn control” of the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) “over to the federal government.”

Reports indicate Gallego is considering whether to sign a potential consent decree, even as Phoenix City Council signals its potential opposition, and the move is opposed by Phoenix law enforcement groups.

Read the full story

Man Pleads Guilty to 2018 Murder of Greater Memphis Chamber CEO After Years of Delays

Tom Pappert

McKinney Wright of Memphis pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges in the 2018 shooting of businessman Phil Trenary on Monday, accepting the lower charge in a plea agreement that saw additional charges against him dropped.

Wright entered his guilty plea on Monday morning, with local media reporting his agreement saw prosecutors drop drug charges against him. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, but already spent five years in a Memphis jail that will count toward his sentence.

Read the full story

Shelby County Judge Behind Zero Bond Release of Teen Murder Suspect Asks Defendants to Write Essays About Guns

Tom Pappert
Judge Bill Anderson

Shelby County General Sessions Court Judge Bill Anderson responded to criticism over his decision to release alleged murder Edio White, 18, with zero bond, in a media appearance on Thursday. During the interview, Anderson held a stack of notebook papers toward the camera and called them “essays” about gun ownership that he requires defendants to write before they are granted bond.

“These are my essays that I get from every single defendant,” said Anderson. The judge requires defendants to write essays explaining why a young person in Memphis would desire to carry a weapon, the outlet reported.

Read the full story

Georgia State Senate Overwhelmingly Votes to Support Atlanta Public Safety Training Center Despite ‘Stop Cop City’ Petition

Tom Pappert

The Georgia State Senate voted on Friday to approve a symbolic senate resolution expressing support for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, with the measure receiving universal support among Republicans, and support from all but seven Democrats.

Introduced by State Senator Mike Hodges (R-Brunswick), the resolution expresses “support for the” safety training center and condemns “acts of violence and domestic terrorism,” referencing the violent clashes between law enforcement and protesters that saw a Georgia State Patrol trooper shot and a protester killed in January.

Read the full story

Alleged Murderer of Memphis Pastor Remains Out on Bond After Hiring New Lawyer Week Before Anticipated Plea Deal Acceptance

Tom Pappert
Miguel Andrade

The Memphis teenager who allegedly murdered a pastor during an attempted carjacking will remain out on bond after his family retained a new lawyer last week, just days before prosecutors expected him to accept a plea agreement.

Miguel Andrade, 16, who allegedly murdered a popular pastor Rev. Dr. Autura Eason-Williams during an attempted carjacking, will remain out on bond until January 30 after Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula L. Skahan granted a delay following the Andrade family’s decision to hire a new lawyer, according to Daily Memphian.

Read the full story

Fulton County Jail Moves Up to 70 Inmates to Forsyth County amid Severe Overcrowding, ‘149,200-Case Backlog’

Tom Pappert
Inmate Behind Bars

News broke on Thursday that Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat inked an agreement with Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman in April to allow up to 70 detainees at the troubled Fulton County Jail to be relocated to the nearby county, with the agreement reportedly citing Fulton County’s 149,200-case backlog.

Reports indicated Labat planned to send some of the inmates in Fulton County to other jails earlier this year, but Appen Media Group published details about the agreement struck with Forsyth County for the first time on Thursday.

Read the full story

Memphis Judge Releases Suspect in Thanksgiving Murder of 15-Year-Old with Zero Bond

Tom Pappert

An 18-year-old man accused of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old on Thanksgiving was released from a Shelby County jail on his own recognizance Monday, forfeiting zero bond despite allegedly confessing to his role in the crime.

Police said Edio White admitted to driving his co-defendant Conner Tucker, 15, to the Binghampton home of Anthony Mason on November 23, under the guise of Tucker trading firearms with Mason, News Channel 3 reported. When the two teens arrived at Mason’s home, police said Tucker exited the vehicle and shot Mason once in the head, killing him.

Read the full story

Shelby County Sheriff to Increase Presence in ‘Shopping Areas’ Until Christmas amid Memphis Crime Surge

Tom Pappert

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office increased its presence in shopping areas on Friday in what the law enforcement body calls Operation Jingle Bells, an effort to deter crime in public spaces during the busy holiday shopping season.

A press release posted to social media explained a “high concentration” of law enforcement will focus on primary shopping areas to “deter car break-ins, shop lifting,” and to keep traffic flowing and parking lots safe for shoppers.

Read the full story

Nashville Mayor O’Connell Releases Policy Proposals from Transition Committees, Including East Bank Funding

Tom Pappert

Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell released three policy proposals from his transition committees on Tuesday, more than two months after he assumed office.

O’Connell released documents provided by three transition committees he created to examine how his government can serve residents of Nashville, better its infrastructure system, and encourage economic and population growth in the city.

Read the full story

Tennessee Gov. Lee Sends Highway Patrol to Confront ‘Rising Crime’ in Memphis, Urges Local Officials to ‘Hold Criminals Accountable’

Tom Pappert
Governor Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) announced on Monday that he ordered an increased Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) presence on highways and interstates in Shelby County to help contend with the criminal element in Memphis.

Lee issued a press release unveiling “a surge of approximately 40 additional troopers” beginning this week. On November 27, wrote Lee’s office, “an additional 15-20 troopers from other districts across the state will join the surge” and remain in Shelby County “for the foreseeable future.”

Read the full story

Mayor-Elect Warns Criminals ‘Terrorizing’ Memphis After Fatal Shooting of St. Jude Research Doctor Alexander Bulakhov

Tom Pappert
Paul Young Memphis

Memphis Mayor-elect Paul Young (D) warned that a small population of criminals are “terrorizing” the rest of the city’s residents during an appearance on News Channel 3 on Tuesday after the death of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital employee Alexander Bulakhov.

Police told local media Bulakhov was walking with his wife and two-year-old child on November 12 when a man wearing a hoodie pointed a gun at him and demanded his belongings. They report that he complied, but attempted to wrestle the gun away from the assailant after it was pointed at his wife. He was shot in the struggle and died from the shooting.

Read the full story

Phoenix Woman Sentenced After Recruiting Arizonans to Smuggle Illegal Immigrants Using Social Media

Tom Pappert

A Phoenix woman became the latest Arizonan to be convicted and sentenced to prison for using social media to entice American citizens to participate in human smuggling of illegal immigrants, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Wednesday.

In a press release, the DOJ revealed Destiney Rae Montoya, a 22-year-old, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison by United States District Judge Raner Collins. The prosecutors explained that Montoya’s sentence was enhanced due to her status as the “coordinator” of the human smuggling operation.

Read the full story

Shaquille Taylor Had ‘Short Temper, Bad Attitude’ but Did Not Function ‘Like a Five-Year-Old,’ Former Co-Worker Says

Tom Pappert

A former coworker of Shaquille Taylor, who is accused of fatally shooting Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig in the head, said in a Friday interview that Taylor did not seem to have reduced cognitive abilities during their workplace interactions, and instead said he regaled her with stories of his criminal history.

After recognizing Taylor from photographs spread by the media, WSMV4 claims a Nashville woman said she worked with the alleged killer “at a fast food chain off White Bridge Pike.” Speaking to the outlet, she disputed reports that Taylor has the mental capacity of a small child.

Read the full story

Second Bystander Shot in Nashville Hours After Death of Belmont University Student

Tom Pappert

A Nashville man remains hospitalized after he was shot following an apparent fight to which he was not a party, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The shooting occurred less than one hour after the death of Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig, another innocent bystander who was allegedly shot in the head by Shaquille Taylor on November 7.

Police initially described the victim as man in his 50s who was shot after a fight between two men ended in gunfire in North Nashville, according to WSMV. Police Spokesman Don Aaron told The Tennessee Star the victim is expected to survive, and will be interviewed to ascertain the circumstances that led to the shooting after he recovers.

Read the full story

Steve Holzapfel Was Magistrate Who Set $10,000 Bond for Alleged Killer Before Shooting of Jillian Ludwig

Tom Pappert

The Davidson County General Sessions Court judicial magistrate who set the $10,000 bond for Shaquille Taylor in a case related to an alleged carjacking that occurred in September was identified to The Tennessee Star by the State Warrant and Bond Office on Friday as Steve Holzapfel. Taylor is accused of shooting 18-year-old Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig in the head after missing a court appearance related to the carjacking case.

Ludwig died on Thursday, two days after Taylor allegedly shot her while she was walking near the Belmont University campus. Taylor is currently in custody with a new bond of $280,000 on charges that are expected to be upgraded to murder.

Read the full story

Alleged Killer of Belmont Freshman Skipped Out on $10,000 Bond for Felony Auto Theft After Judge Dropped Earlier Aggravated Assault Charges

Tom Pappert

Shaquille Taylor, 29, the alleged killer of Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig, who died on Thursday after being shot in the head while walking near campus on Tuesday, was released from Metro Nashville Davidson County Jail on September 23, after bonding out subsequent to his arrest on September 21 on felony auto theft charges.

A $10,000 bond was set by a Davidson County General Sessions Court judge when he was arraigned on those charges, and the company who posted the bond, Brooke’s Bail Bonding, told The Tennessee Star it was doubled when Taylor missed court on November 3. A clerk at the Davidson County Criminal Court told The Star on Thursday that records show Brooke’s Bail Bonding paid $10,000 to the court. Brooke’s Bail Bonding owner Brooke Harlan said her company was attempting to secure a new court date for Taylor at the time of his latest arrest.

Read the full story

Metro Nashville Police Department Confirms 7 Officers on ‘Administrative Assignment’ in Connection to Covenant Killer Manifesto

Tom Pappert

Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed on Wednesday that seven of its officers have been placed on administrative assignment following the leak of at least three pages of Covenant killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale’s manifesto to conservative commentator and comedian Steven Crowder, who published them Monday.

Crowder initially reported the seven officers were placed on leave in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “The powers that be are more concerned about finding the leaker than they are about the contents of Audrey Hale’s anti-white manifesto,” wrote Crowder.

Read the full story

Non-Partisan Think Tank Says State of Tennessee Has Enough Money to Reject All Federal Education Funding

Tom Pappert

The Sycamore Institute revealed in a presentation to lawmakers on Monday that the state has enough tax revenue to fund education without federal assistance. Their report comes as Tennessee considers rejecting federal assistance to increase local control over education.

Sycamore Institute Deputy Director Mandy Spears told the legislators that while Tennessee’s “days of historically large surpluses may be over,” the state “still has room in its budget to replace federal funding” for education “at the expense of other investments,” according to WJHL-TV.

Read the full story

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Orders Metro Legal to Investigate How Covenant Killer Documents Were Released

Tom Pappert

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell ordered an investigation from Metro Legal on Monday to determine how the photos of the manifesto written by The Covenant Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale, which were authenticated by The Tennessee Star, were leaked to conservative comedian and pundit Steven Crowder.

O’Connell announced the investigation in a statement to News Channel 5, telling the outlet he directed Metro Law Director Wally Dietz “to initiate an investigation into how these images could have been released.” At press time the Metro Nashville Police Department has acknowledged the documents, but has refused to comment on their authenticity or how Crowder may have obtained them.

Read the full story

Phoenix Clears Final Blocks of ‘The Zone’ Homeless Camp as Maricopa County Posts Record Evictions

Tom Pappert

Phoenix cleared the final blocks of “The Zone” last Wednesday, marking the end of the largest homeless encampment in Arizona, after the majority of homeless were relocated. On the following day, city officials revealed more evictions were filed in October 2023 than in any other month since 2005.

The City of Phoenix cleared the final blocks of “The Zone” last week following a deadline set in court after the city lost a lawsuit from local businesses who successfully obtained a court ruling that determined the city was negligent and ordered the camp cleared. Photos posted to social media appear to confirm “The Zone” was completely cleared on November 2.

Read the full story

University of Tennessee Admits Professor Made Antisemitic Comments in Class

Tom Pappert

The University of Tennessee (UT) admitted in a statement on Wednesday night that one of its professors made antisemitic comments during a classroom lecture, but said it could not go into details out of respect for the students’ privacy.

In a statement, UT Director of News and Information Tyra Hagg distributed to the media late Wednesday, the university claimed it “has addressed concerns about a class lecture that included several comments” which fall under the “working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance” in 2016.

Read the full story

Tennessee Has 30 Days to Appeal After Court Restores Previous Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (R) has 30 days to appeal the Tuesday decision from a three-judge panel that ruled the legislature violated the state constitution with its new law governing the Metro Nashville Airport Authority.

Metro Nashville filed the lawsuit after the Tennessee Legislature passed a law changing how the board’s members are selected, with the new law allowing the mayor, governor, and House and Senate speakers to each select two appointees. Tuesday’s ruling invalidated this law, and restored the board’s previous members who were all appointed by Nashville’s mayor and approved by the Metro Nashville council, effective immediately.

Read the full story

‘Block Cop City’ Activists Plan Three Day Protest in Atlanta

Tom Pappert

Activists have announced a three-day protest against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center will occur in November in what the organizers claim is a final bid to stop its construction.

The activists claim protest will occur from November 10-14, and are organizing it because their petition calling for a public referendum on the future of a facility that will train law enforcement and firefighters remains stalled with the City of Atlanta even though the public safety training center is nearly halfway complete.

Read the full story

Atlanta Firefighters Union Warns City Has Worst Department Fleet in America with 17 Vehicles Down

Tom Pappert

The Atlanta Professional Firefighters addressed city leaders in a strongly worded letter on Tuesday, warning the city’s fleet of emergency response vehicles is in dire condition. Its letter came after Atlanta Fire and Rescue informed the city of its decision to formally close three fire stations due to vehicle and staffing issues.

In a letter obtained by Atlanta First News, firefighters claimed that many of Atlanta’s fire stations lack an actual fire engine with water capable of extinguishing a fire. They stated that this implies the actual number of non-operational fire stations is higher than the three identified by the city on Monday.

Read the full story

Georgia Politician Loses Title in Official Sanction After She Allegedly Fabricated Date Rape Drug Story

Tom Pappert

A member of the Clayton County Commission was stripped of her title on Monday as part of an official sanction after her claims of being slipped the date rape drug at a Morrow bar were contradicted by a police investigation and video that appeared to show her consume at least five alcoholic drinks before losing consciousness.

The Clayton County Commission unanimously voted to sanction Commissioner Felicia Franklin and strip her from the vice chairman position, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Franklin did not attend the meeting or participate in the vote.

Read the full story