State officials are challenging Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley’s sanctuary city policy, saying the decision could cause the city to lose a $300,000 federal grant to process ballistic evidence, NewsChannel 5 said.
Read the full story
During a discussion Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Leahy talked with Steve Glover about the recent debate challenge he proposed to Mayor David Briley in regards to the executive order issued on Tuesday. As predicted by Leahy, Briley was a no show.
Read the full story
On Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Leahy welcomed state representative Jay Reedy from Erin, Tennessee to the show to talk about his recent letter to Mayor Briley putting him on notice for breaking the anti-sanctuary law with his recent executive order.
Read the full story
On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Leahy and special guest Steve Glover, formerly of Nashville Metro Council who’s currently a candidate for the upcoming election, talked about the “legal authority” of Mayor Briley in relation to his recent call for executive action against ICE. Nearing the end of the show, Glover said he would be more than happy to debate Briley on the legalities of his upcoming actions. Leahy enthusiastically offered a platform at the Tennessee Star Report for one full hour which would allow Briley and Glover and open forum to discuss the issue. Leahy: The person in front of us right now whose story we’re hearing is Steve Glover. And so Steve, you were explaining to us the legal authority. And you’re understanding as a former member of the Metro Council. Former as of September first. Just a couple of days ago at midnight. Waiting for this runoff election a week from Thursday. Glover: Right. Leahy: So, what is the legal authority of an executive order? And the reason we want to know this is because Mayor David…
Read the full story
State Representative Jay Reedy (R-Erin), the House sponsor of HB2315, the 2018 legislation that prohibits state and local governmental entities and officials from adopting sanctuary policies, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon on behalf of legislators that addresses Nashville’s continued flouting of both state and federal laws. “Nashville is subject to the laws of the State of Tennessee and the United States of America, and the laws of both are clear: Sanctuary policies that shield illegal aliens are themselves illegal,” the statement said. “The law states clearly that local government entities that do not comply are potentially ‘ineligible to enter into any grant contract with the department of economic and community development,’ the statement continued. On Tuesday morning, Nashville Mayor David Briley, who by all accounts trails At-large Metro Council member John Cooper in the September 12 mayoral runoff election, stepped up the city’s flouting of state and federal laws when he issued an executive order that, among other things, calls on the Nashville Davidson County delegation of the Tennessee General Assembly to fight to repeal HB2315. Briley’s executive order, in effect, declares Metropolitan Nashville/Davidson County to be a sovereign state, with rights equal to or superior to those constitutionally authorized…
Read the full story
In a now-familiar refrain from a liberal politician, Nashville Mayor David Briley is politicizing a mass shooting and calling for shredding the Second Amendment.
Read the full story
On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy and special guest Ben Cunnigham – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Leahy and Cunningham talked about Cunningham’s recent Tweets stating that he would hold John Cooper accountable to his implied commitments to the reallocation of Davidson County funds and not raising property taxes.
Read the full story
The choice in the Nashville mayoral race is between incumbent Mayor David Briley, who is soft on immigration — and Metro Councilman John Cooper, who is soft on immigration. Michael Patrick Leahy on Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report weighed in on the mayoral debate: “So, the very, very, very, bad Mayor – David Briley – debated with the very, very bad Metro Council at large candidate for Mayor, John Cooper. And purportedly they were discussing issues. Except they really weren’t. They talked platitudes.” The report is broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am. Briley tweeted, “This week, @WSMV reported on Metro probation officers sharing Nashville residents’ personal information with ICE agents. Today, I’m ordering the Metro Auditor to conduct a full investigation of the department involved and these deeply troubling reports.” This week, @WSMV reported on Metro probation officers sharing Nashville residents’ personal information with ICE agents. Today, I'm ordering the Metro Auditor to conduct a full investigation of the department involved and these deeply troubling reports. pic.twitter.com/JKqGWCcCR6 — Judge David Briley (@DavidBriley) August 29, 2019 One comment summed up the Nashville mayor’s responsibility — to protect the public: “If they are on…
Read the full story
Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley, who is in a run-off election to renew his term, is helping illegal aliens to avoid federal authorities.
Briley tweeted a how-to video in Spanish on avoiding capture by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency: “If you or a family member have an encounter with ICE, it’s important to know your rights and have a plan. Watch this video to learn more:”
Read the full story
WSMV polled the four major Nashville mayoral candidates on whether the Metro Nashville Public Schools superintendent should report to the mayor instead of the school board, and only one said “Yes.” That candidate was Dr. Carol Swain. WSMV’s story is here. The Metro Nashville mayoral candidates who were polled were Swain, incumbent Mayor David Briley, State Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-TN-55) and at-large Metro Council member John Cooper. Swain told WSMV, “I believe the director of schools should report to the mayor because there has to be some accountability. We’ve had problems in the past. The school board has a budget of almost a billion dollars and we know that we have some of the worst performing schools in the state.” Briley, Clemmons and Cooper said “No.” One education expert told The Tennessee Star that requiring a superintendent to report to an authority other than a school board would be unprecedented. JC Bowman, executive director of the Professional Educators of Tennessee, said, “That structure does not exist in Tennessee. Mayors in urban areas around the nation have closely aligned economic development with K-12 education. However, we have elected school boards to exercise oversight in the state of Tennessee of public schools.”…
Read the full story
Nashville Mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain is taking aim at Metro Council’s proposed 15.8 percent property tax increase. Two council members — Budget Committee Chairwoman Tanaka Vercher and At-Large Councilman Bob Mendes — combined efforts after having had differing plans, Nashville Public Radio said. Mendes is dropping his plan to support Vercher’s plan of raising property taxes by 15.8 percent, increasing the rate to $3.653 per $100 of assessed value. Mayor David Briley told Nashville Public Radio he opposes a tax increase and that he’s alarmed by the council’s plan. Swain said in a press release she also takes issue with that and that if she were elected, she would balance the budget. With the council’s planned tax hike, a home valued at $250,000 would see an increase of about $300, Swain said. Briley could veto the proposal and it would take a two-thirds majority vote to override. “City Council is proposing a property tax increase that raises the cost of living for all Nashvillians without any intention of giving Metro employees the 6 percent raise they need and deserve. Mayor Briley has stated that Nashville’s forecasted revenues are up by about $100 million without property taxes. If the Mayor…
Read the full story
Metro Nashville Mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain is calling for answers following Mayor David Briley’s contradictory statements and budgetary moves on his controversial parking meter plan. “How can Mayor Briley promise voters he’ll hold off on his widely opposed parking meter plan, at the same time his administration is quietly planning to spend the up-front $30 million it would bring in if passed? Which one is it—the bill is on hold so the public can weigh in, or the mayor will ram it down our throats as soon as he no longer needs our votes? The public deserves honest answers,” Swain said in a press release. Just two weeks ago, Briley said he was “hitting the pause button” on his plan to privatize parking meters, The Tennessee Star reported. “It is clear to me that residents still have questions about the merits of this proposal. Residents need more time – and it is unfair to the public and to Council to rush this process,” Briley wrote. Worse yet, others are using misinformation to further confuse and scare people. It’s politics at its worst. For these reasons, I am hitting the pause button on this proposal.” However, Swain said that last Tuesday,…
Read the full story
by Marshall Towe Mayor Briley has pulled the plug on his ill-advised parking privatization program, at least for now. Most likely his temporary pause is due to the combination of a complete lack of public support and the upcoming mayoral election. The public must demand any project that leads to the privatization of the most public of spaces, city streets, be permanently abandoned and not accept a political head fake until the election is over. One need only look 500 miles north to see the disastrous results of a city selling off the public’s assets in an attempt to correct financial incompetence and budget mismanagement. In 2008, Chicago’s Mayor Daley pushed through the lease of Chicago’s parking meters to the private company, Chicago Parking Meters LCC, led by group of investors including Morgan Stanley and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. In exchange for $1.15B, Chicago gave total management control of its 36,000 meters for 75 years, along with all associated revenue. The Inspector General of Illinois determined in 2010 that the public lost well over $1 Billion on the deal and as more time goes by the more that estimated loss to the public increases. The next Mayor of…
Read the full story
Nashville mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain kicked off her campaign Sunday to a standing-room-only crowd. She posted on Facebook, “What a tremendous crowd at our Campaign Kickoff! We couldn’t do this without you. We cannot thank you all enough for your support and dedication to our campaign. The Swain Train is growing!” The former Vanderbilt professor posted photos of a standing-room-only crowd at Sunday’s event. “It was rewarding to see so many people come out on a rainy Sunday afternoon to talk about our vision for moving Nashville forward,” Swain said in an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star. “I’ve heard from so many residents who are disappointed with the direction of the city,” she continued, adding: Nashvillians want leadership attuned to providing basic services–from safe streets to good schools to a solution to the traffic mess. Our campaign’s momentum continues to grow as we talk about real solutions and a city government that works for all people, not just the politically connected. Swain’s campaign’s Facebook page is here. Swain held the event at Swett’s Restaurant on Clifton Avenue. Her campaign page says, “Our incredible city has an incredibly broken government led by elected officials who routinely fail us.…
Read the full story
Nashville’s bus service WeGo Public Transit is looking at a need to raise rates while cutting hours or frequency of routes thanks to a budget shortfall of $8.7 million, Nashville Public Radio says. WeGo presented its budget to Metro Council on Wednesday. The financial gap is due largely to a reduction in state funding, a dip in fare revenue and higher employee insurance costs, Nashville Public Radio said. WeGo asked Mayor David Briley for $57.3 million to maintain its service, but Briley proposed a budget of $48.6 million. The last fare increase was in 2012. According to WeGo’s fare card, rates start at $1.70. WeGo Public Transit officials told WKRN that this would be the third straight year for a flat funding level from the city. While the budget is not a cut, they are not receiving the amount they requested to cover their expenses. Activist group Music City Riders Unlimited held a rally Wednesday afternoon at 1 Public Square, according to its Facebook page. One post on Tuesday previewing the rally read: Don’t let Mayor Briley pit public services — and the public — against each other. Join us tomorrow, May 15 @ 4:30 at 1 Public Square to put…
Read the full story
Hundreds of Metro Nashville teachers on Monday called out sick for the second day in a row to protest the size of their promised pay increase. WKRN reported that at least 906 teachers were absent Monday. A Metro Nashville Public Schools official told the station that reasons included personal and family illness, professional and personal leave and bereavement. The totals included 86 teachers from McGavock High School, WKRN said. On Friday, a total of 1,093 teachers and over 400 staff members from at least 18 schools were reported to have called out, The Tennessee Star reported. A total of 125 of McGavock’s 141 teachers stayed home Friday. The Nashville Scene reported that Friday’s sick out estimate has since been revised down to 960 teachers and 400 staff. Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley is proposing a 3 percent raise for educators, but that is not setting well with them. Educators, along with the school board, are demanding a 10 percent increase. Monday’s sick out forced the 9th grade college field trip at Hillsboro High School to be canceled. NewsChannel 5 said. One Twitter account that has been involved in the sick outs indicated that educators would return to their classrooms today.…
Read the full story
A plan proposed by Mayor David Briley to privatize on-street parking meters in Nashville, which would include higher fines for parking violations, elimination of most free parking times, and expand meters into additional neighborhoods, is extremely unpopular according to a new Tennessee Star/Triton poll. The Briley plan is currently on hold after a lawsuit led to a court order delaying the implementation. 550 Likely Nashville voters were asked their opinion of the Briley parking meter privatization plan: Mayor David Briley has proposed a plan to privatize on-street parking meters in Nashville. Would you be more or less likely to support Briley’s plan to privatize on-street Nashville parking meters if it increases parking fees and fines and also de-creases free parking times and spaces? 7.3% were more likely to support such a plan, 83.1 less likely, 7.2% said it would make no difference, and only 2.4% were unsure. The survey also indicates that 77.1% would want the Metro Council to reject such a plan, while only 10% supported it. Ultimately the Metro Council would have to approve or reject the Briley plan. Perhaps more importantly, the issue could have a severe negative impact on Briley’s bid for reelection in August.…
Read the full story
More than 1,400 Metro Nashville Public Schools teachers and school staff scoffed at receiving a 3 percent pay raise and called out sick Friday, WKRN said. A total of 1,093 teachers and over 400 staff members from at least 18 schools called out. McGavock High School was one of the hardest hit, with 125 of 141 teachers staying home, WKRN said. Metro Nashville Public Schools denied all the absences were due to the strike. Mayor David Briley proposed a 3 percent raise during his State of Metro speech Tuesday, WKRN said. Teachers had demanded a 10 percent increase. The proposed city budget is $2.33 billion, a 4.55 percent increase over the current year, Nashville Public Radio said. Briley is calling for $101.5 million in new spending, with most going to Metro Schools ($28.2 million), salaries ($23.3 million) and debt service ($44.1 million). Mayoral candidate Carol Swain said in a press release she stands with the 1,400-plus teachers. “MNPS’s sickout is another glaring symptom of a broken system,” Swain said. “As Nashville’s next mayor, I would work with teachers, parents, school board members and other stakeholders to identify and creatively address the broken system where teachers and low-wage employees have become afterthoughts.…
Read the full story
Metro Councilman John Cooper announced Monday that he will indeed run for mayor of Nashville, multiple media outlets report. Cooper will run against incumbent Mayor David Briley, retired Vanderbilt University professor Dr. Carol Swain and State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, NewsChannel 5 said. In February, Cooper said he would not run for mayor and may not run again for the Metro Nashville Council, The Tennessee Star reported. He said it is good to have a rotation of leaders in government. Cooper was denying his interest in running for mayor just last week, according to a story by the Nashville Scene, which has checked on his interest level since the qualifying deadline is May 16. While on the council, Cooper played a foil to former Mayor Megan Barry and to Briley, the Scene said. He questioned economic incentives and voted against the major league soccer stadium deal. Although Briley has been fundraising since last year, Cooper could provide his campaign some of his own money, as he did in 2015, the Scene said. Swain said she raised $118,000 in less than a month, The Star reported Saturday. The Swain campaign spent less than 7 percent of the money raised compared to incumbent…
Read the full story
Nashville mayoral candidate Carol Swain said she raised $118,000 in less than a month. The Swain campaign spent less than 7 percent of the money raised compared to incumbent Mayor David Briley who spent about 62 percent of the funds raised this past quarter, Swain said in a statement. Swain said, “We are pleased with our first quarter fundraising and have no intention of slowing down. Our fundraising momentum proves that Nashville is ready and eager for new leadership, and I am ready to serve. We are proud to have a donor base that is incredibly diverse in every sense of the word. This campaign is one that ALL citizens can rally behind regardless of gender, race, age, or political affiliation. I look forward to utilizing the funds generously donated to our campaign to take our message directly to the voters. Together we can elect a mayor who will address our transit issues, partner with law enforcement to lower crime rates, and work to provide affordable housing options.” The former Vanderbilt University professor announced her candidacy in March during her keynote address at a faculty breakfast club event hosted at Tennessee State University in Nashville, The Tennessee Star reported. Swain…
Read the full story
Dr. Shawn Joseph is out as Metro Nashville Schools superintendent — and you can take that to the bank, or at least, Joseph can take more than $261,000 to the bank. The school board voted 5-3 Tuesday to buy Joseph’s contract out, according to NewsChannel 5. Board members Dr. Sharon Gentry, Rachel Anne Elrod, Christiane Buggs, Will Pinkston, and Gini Pupo-Walker voted for the buyout. Jill Speering, Amy Frogge, and Fran Bush voted against the deal. Dr. Joseph did not attend the school board meeting, nor did Anna Shepherd, who was out sick. … The buyout would have Joseph earn his normal salary through July 31st, 2019, in addition to being paid for any accumulated vacation time, and potentially sick time. He would then be cut a check for $261,250. The board would also pay for up to $10,000 in attorney fees for Joseph in the defense of his license by the Tennessee State Board of Education. The board has proposed a one-year suspension for failing to reporter teacher misconduct cases. (sic) Joseph last month told the board it needed to discuss terms of his departure, NewsChannel 5 said, even as the station revealed the State Board of Education wanted…
Read the full story
Nashville Mayor David Briley says he plans to effectively seize control of the school board and lambasted board members who are trying to remove embattled Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph, Fox 17 said. Briley then turned his ire to the Metro Nashville School Board, saying he “will use all my legal authority to influence the school board functions from this day forward.” … Dr. Joseph has previously stated he will not seek to extend his contract when it expires in 2020. Mayor Briley said he plans to be involved in the search for a new director as well as how the school board handles operations and finances. According to NewsChannel 5, Briley called school board members racist but tried to deny it. “Some of our school board members have not acknowledged why their actions are seen through a racial lens. They’ve failed to acknowledge the legacy of racism and the legacy of systemic racism in Nashville, the legacy of inequality that this city is still trying to overcome today,” he said. Briley went on to say that he’s not calling anyone “a racist” and added he knows most people in leadership have “good intentions” and “good hearts.” Metro Nashville Schools have…
Read the full story
Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley announced a $750 million affordable housing program on Tuesday. The “Under One Roof 2029” program will create 10,000 new units of affordable housing in 10 years, Briley said, according to a story by WKRN. The city plans to contribute $500 million of the total $750 million. Briley asked for the private sector to chip in $250 million with such tools as a real estate investment trust, WKRN said. NewsChannel 5 quoted the mayor as saying, “Nashville is thriving in many ways, and that is a good thing as growth creates better-paying jobs and generates revenue for schools, roads, parks and libraries,” Mayor Briley said. “Yet the true measure of a great city is how it treats all of its citizens – making sure growth is balanced by continuing to invest in people. The Under One Roof 2029 initiative will help ensure we all move forward together.” Under the plan, Nashville will give Metro Development and Housing Agency $350 million for overhauling and adding units, the Nashville Post said. Nashville will give $150 million to the Barnes Fund to create a minimum of 5,000 units. Fox News 17 provided a Facebook video of the announcement, which is…
Read the full story
Metro Nashville’s rank and file workers may receive a cost-of-living raise that the city has long promised but failed to deliver after a contentious budget process last year. Nashville Mayor David Briley on Monday announced a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 3 percent for all Metro employees in FY 2020, starting with the new budget on July 1. “After a year when we had to put out a tight budget – which was a disappointment to me – I am proud to say that we can now give Metro employees the cost-of-living adjustment they deserve,” Briley said. “I would like all the men and women who work for our city to know that I deeply appreciate everything they do for residents throughout Nashville and Davidson County.” Briley said he will recommend funding step and open-range increases in the budget he will submit to Metro Council by May 1. If the rank and file employees do receive the COLA, they will be playing catch-up with Briley’s inner circle. The Tennessee Star reported last September that Briley gave merit raises to 20 members of his own staff. Two of the mayor’s staff received 6 percent increases. Briley said in his press release that…
Read the full story
Outspoken Metro Nashville Councilman Steve Glover of District 12, no friend of Mayor David Briley, will run for an at-large seat on the council, NewsChannel 5 said. He made the announcement at the firefighter’s union hall Monday, NewsChannel 5 said. Glover’s council webpage says he lives in Hermitage and is agent/owner of Glover Benefit Group and president of The Retirement Solution Show Inc. Glover told The Tennessee Star last September that Briley threatens many of his colleagues on the Metro Nashville Council. The Briley administration tells council members that he will not support projects in their districts unless they support him, Glover said. Glover has spoken out against Briley, including the way he planned for the Major League Soccer stadium. “They should never be threatened by anyone in the executive branch because they were elected to represent their constituents,” he said. Glover, a Republican, said he would not run for mayor because too many Nashville voters are Democrats. Last month, Glover asked for an audit of the city’s personnel practices, the WSMV News4 I-team said. The station determined that the list of candidates who were qualified for Nashville’s fire chief was abruptly thrown out five days before the new chief, William…
Read the full story
The Tennessee House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill setting limits on Nashville’s police oversight board. The bill is HB0568, sponsored by State Rep. Michael G. Curcio (R-TN-69). The bill’s tracking information is here. HB0568 will go next to the House Calendar & Rules Committee, a necessary step prior to consideration by the full House. The Senate version, SB1407, is scheduled for the Senate Judiciary Committee for March 5. The bill’s caption says the measure would limit “the authority of a community oversight board to the review and consideration of matters reported to it and the issuance of advisory reports and recommendations to agencies involved in public safety and the administration of justice.” During the House Judiciary Committee meeting, the bill appeared at the end of the agenda, the Nashville Scene reported. Several Democrats objected to the closing of debate, citing parliamentary procedure, but the committee ultimately voted 13-6 to send the bill on. … Curcio’s bill would strip Nashville’s board of its subpoena power. It would also eliminate the demographic descriptors written into Nashville’s COB membership requirements. Basically, the bill would require board members to be registered voters and that membership cannot be limited to certain demographics, economic…
Read the full story
Tennessee and Nashville officials say they do not expect Amazon’s brush-off of New York to affect the retail behemoth’s decision to open an operations center in Music City. Amazon last Thursday said it would not build its second headquarters in New York City, called HQ2, because of pushback there, The Tennessee Star reported last week. The retailer faced a battle from some politicians and others over nearly $3 billion in tax incentives, Breitbart said. Amazon was poised to bring 25,000 jobs to New York with a $2.5 billion investment in offices. Amazon said last week in a statement it would not reopen the HQ2 search. The company said it does plan to proceed with another headquarters site in Virginia. The company’s Music City plans have drawn criticism from some, including the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police, who said the city’s $15 million in incentives were “corporate welfare.” With the State of Tennessee offerings, the package is up to $102 million for 5,000 jobs for a $230 million operations center. Jennifer McEachern, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, spoke to The Star via email about Amazon. The Star asked her if the state would re-examine the tax…
Read the full story
Metro At-Large Councilman John Cooper will not run against Nashville Mayor David Briley in August and may not seek re-election to the council, he said Thursday. According to the Nashville Scene, Cooper said it is good to have a rotation of leaders in government. State Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-TN-55) is the only candidate running against Briley. According to the Scene: “Rotation of personnel in citizen government is a good thing,” Cooper told the Post. “Having a bench of personnel who have gone through this learning experience is also super for a community.” To that point, two new names have recently appointed treasurers to run for one of five at-large seats on the Metro Council: former state Rep. Gary Moore and Zulfat Suara, a controller at Meharry Medical College and chair of the American Muslin Advisory Council. Constitutional lawyer and civil libertarian Daniel A. Horwitz tweeted, “I’m very sad about this news. However, it makes going all in for @JRClemmons easy as can be. Everyone should be grateful for @JCooper4Council’s service on the Council and his contribution to an otherwise insane and clueless body.” https://twitter.com/Scot_Blog/status/1093611519202545664 Cooper is the brother of U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) and the son of former…
Read the full story
Metro Nashville plans to roll out body cameras on all officers in 2019, adding another costly layer of regulation to law enforcement. A few officers began testing body cams last week, Nashville Public Radio said. The city and community advocates have pushed for this oversight since at least 2016. The need to follow detailed city procurement procedures with specific timelines in the request for proposal is one reason the process is taking time. The program involves multiple rounds of solicitations, according to the city’s RFP. The plan is to provide cameras to place on 1,500 officers as well as on 870 car dashboards. Video would be stored either on-site or on the cloud. [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/NashvilleRFP.pdf”] Mayor David Briley earmarked $15 million for the program, but the final cost is not clear, NewsChannel 5 said. The District Attorney’s office has asked for 49 more workers just to handle film footage for court. A total of 21 officers are using the body and dash cams on a 90-day test run, WSMV said. This comes more than a year after the Metro Nashville Police Department first tried testing body cams. A Nashville Fraternal Order of Police representative said that officers will welcome the…
Read the full story
Colorful entertainer Kid Rock will be welcomed in the Christmas parade in Leiper’s Fork. Parade goers at the Leiper’s Fork Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 15, will be joined by special guest Kid Rock, who will walk in the parade. The parade, previously scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 8, was postponed until Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. due to inclement weather, the Williamson Herald said. Kid Rock was disinvited as the grand marshal of the Dec. 1 Nashville Christmas Parade after he called Joy Behar of ultra-liberal show “The View” a word that starts with “b,” The Tennessee Star reported. The colorful singer appeared on “Fox & Friends” Dec. 30, live from Nashville, and made the remark about Behar. Parade organizers instead invited James Shaw Jr., the hero who wrestled a gun away from the Waffle House shooter in April. Nashville Mayor David Briley and Councilman Freddie O’Connell had threatened to boycott the parade over Kid Rock, according to Fox 17 News. In the “Fox & Friends” interview, Kid Rock also bemoaned political correctness, Townhall said. Rock said everyone deserves love, minus one person in particular – Behar. He then used the derogative term. “No, no, no, no,” host Steve Doocy…
Read the full story
Kid Rock is out as the grand marshal of the Nashville Christmas Parade after he called Joy Behar a word that starts with “b,” according to ABC News. The colorful singer appeared on “Fox & Friends” Friday morning, live from Nashville, and made the remark about Behar of “The View.” Parade organizers instead invited James Shaw Jr., the hero who wrestled a gun away from the Waffle House shooter in April. Nashville Mayor David Briley and Councilman Freddie O’Connell had threatened to boycott the parade over Kid Rock, according to Fox 17 News. “If Kid Rock is still the grand marshal tomorrow, the mayor is inclined not to participate,” the mayor’s office said in a statement Friday. O’Connell said, “I will not be participating in tomorrow’s Nashville Christmas parade. The choice of Grand Marshal evokes neither the spirit of Christmas nor the inclusivity I think represents the best of Nashville.” In the “Fox & Friends” interview, Kid Rock also bemoaned political correctness, Townhall said. Rock said everyone deserves love, minus one person in particular – Behar. He then used the derogative term. “No, no, no, no,” host Steve Doocy interrupted. “You cannot say that. We apologize for that.” “I mean…
Read the full story
In a year where Metro Nashville’s rank and file workers learned they would not get promised cost of living increases, Nashville Mayor David Briley gave merit raises to 20 members of his own staff, WSMV reported. Two of the mayor’s staff received 6 percent increases. One Briley staffer, Chief Strategy Officer Brian Kelsey, got a $7,178 raise, increasing his salary to $126,824. Briley also gave merit-based raises to department heads. Briley’s decision to reverse the cost of living adjustments – COLAs – for Metro employees created a lot of controversy. Nashville Fire Chief Will Swann refused his 2.5 percent pay increase, choosing to pass the Open Range money to 19 administrators under him. Briley said that although city workers would not get cost of living adjustments this year, 71 percent of the city’s work force could expect their paychecks to increase during the coming year. Workers can get what are called step increases. Metro Nashville’s being strapped for cash did not stop Briley from compiling a wish list of expensive projects like a $125 million floodwall for downtown, The Tennessee Star reported. Police officers and firefighters wanted the raises they were promised to help with the cost of living, WSMV…
Read the full story
Rallies were held in Nashville and across the country Tuesday following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Trump’s travel ban on Muslim countries. The latest, third version of the policy applies to five mostly Muslim countries as well as North Korea and Venezuela, NewsChannel 5 reports. Chief Justice John Roberts said the ban was within the scope of Presidential authority to protect national security. Predictably, some were not happy. In Nashville, the American Muslim Advisory Council held a rally at Legislative Plaza. The council and MPower Change organized on a Facebook page. The page said, “It’s crucial that we have a visible, strong presence across the country of people who care about Muslim and refugee communities and oppose Trump’s White Nationalist agenda. The #NoMuslimBanEver campaign is calling for a national day of action whenever the decision is announced.” Nashville Mayor David Briley attended the rally, WSMV says. At least 18 groups in addition to the council participated, the station says. It is unclear how many people actually attended. Challengers had argued the administration’s order was discriminatory and unconstitutional because the president had called for a ban on Muslim travelers from the Middle East while he was on the campaign trail in…
Read the full story
Newly elected Mayor David Briley announced Tuesday that Metro Nashville Government Chief Operating Officer, Rich Riebeling will be leaving his administration. As part of a reorganization of the Office of Mayor, Briley named Emily Passini as Chief of Staff, the administration’s senior official who will “organize the policy priorities of the office, manage staff and work with department heads to drive the Mayor’s agenda.” The appointment of Passini displaces Riebeling as well as current Chief of Staff Debby Dale Mason. Riebeling recently came under heavy fire for being the focal point of several financial scandals during his 11-year tenure in Metro Nashville Government which spanned three different mayors from gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean, to disgraced Megan Barry to a short stint with David Briley. Much of the attention to Riebeling’s improprieties was drawn by Carol Swain, Briley’s chief rival in the May 24 special mayoral election and The Tennessee Star’s Culture of Corruption series. Mayoral candidate Swain called for then Acting Mayor Briley to fire Riebeling when it became public in early May that Riebeling was involved with $7.4 million of federal relief funds for the 2010 flood being redirected away from victims to design the Ascend Amphitheater. Of that,…
Read the full story
Surprise! Nashville is growing skyscrapers and other developments at an ever-increasing rate yet faces a $34 million revenue shortfall. Councilman-at-large John Cooper, who is on Metro’s Budget and Finance Committee says Nashville’s revenue continues to grow faster than most cities, to the tune of a couple billion dollars, NewsChannel 5 reports. At the same time, Metro can’t fully fund schools or provide promised pay raises to employees, and some are calling for a property tax hike. Nashville has been glutted with massive capital projects despite some narrow misses. Most of the new money has gone to debt service to pay for pretty and shiny projects like the Sounds baseball stadium and the convention center, plus more conventional needs like school improvements. Borrowing costs have increased about $100 million in the last five years. Former Mayor Megan Barry’s resignation earlier this year following a sex and ethics scandal was followed by the failure of the $9 billion transit plan, the Nashville Scene reports. Then there was Barry’s quickly abandoned plan to end inpatient care at Metro General Hospital, the same week that the Metro Council approved a $275 million soccer stadium plan; the proposed Cloud Hill development, a sweetheart deal for…
Read the full story
Nashville Acting Mayor David Briley has resurrected failed plans for a flood wall in downtown, wanting to spend $125 million the city does not have. The latest big ticket item on Briley’s wish list comes days before the special mayoral election on Thursday. Former mayors Megan Barry and Karl Dean failed to get the project approved, The Tennessean said. That is because some City Council members wanted to focus on mitigation efforts in residential areas following the 2010 flood. Metro Water Services Director Scott Potter is trying to sell the flood wall by calling downtown another residential area, the newspaper said. The original flood wall price tag in 2015 was $110 million. Briley has added the wall to the city’s proposed capital improvements budget, which the council will look at next month. The City Council is not exactly rolling in cash — it is considering a proposal to raise property taxes by 50 cents as The Tennessee Star reported earlier this week. News4 I-Team recently ran a story saying former Mayor Dean used $7.4 million in HUD disaster relief money to pay for design and engineering work for riverfront development, including Ascend Ampitheater. You can read more about that report on…
Read the full story
Yet another Nashville Predators foray into progressive politics has some saying the team’s president and CEO should spend time in the penalty box. The National Hockey League team’s President/CEO Sean Henry endorsed liberal mayoral candidate David Briley. The former vice mayor assumed office in March when disgraced Mayor Megan Barry resigned. The special election is May 24. The political move made national headlines. “I’ve honestly never seen this before, and I think it’s bad for our country to be politicizing every aspect of our lives, including teams endorsing a political candidate,” Clay Travis of Outkick the Coverage said on his website, as quoted by Brietbart. NewsChannel 5’s Steve Layman said in a broadcast column, “Sports and politics don’t mix.” He cited the fallout over the National Football League players who knelt during the national anthem. That leaves the question: Why would a sports team endorse a candidate? Could money be a factor? The Tennessean reported that the Preds are working with Briley to secure a new lease on Bridgestone Arena. Nashville attorney Daniel Horwitz told the newspaper the team’s endorsement does not violate state law against using public buildings to support a candidate unless giving equal presentation to all sides.…
Read the full story
Nashville Mayor David Briley has made his first major announcement on the job — a proposal to demolish Greer Stadium and restore the land for reintegration into Fort Negley Park. The Tennessean reported the story Tuesday, adding the new mayor needs to ask Metro Council for $1 million to demolish the old stadium and begin restoring the property as a park. Briley’s predecessor, Megan Barry, had made a controversial push to redevelop Greer Stadium into a mixed-use project called Cloud Hill. Barry abandoned those plans in January amid strong resistance. The funds “would come from the city’s 4% reserve fund through a request to the Metro Council in April,” according to a statement on the city’s website. “Following the demolition, the property will be seeded with grass while the Metro Historical Commission produces a Cultural Landscape Report that will help inform decisions by the Metro Parks Board about how best to turn this space into an active park that honors the history of the site.” Learotha Williams, a professor of black history at Tennessee State University, hailed Briley’s move. On Twitter, he said, “this is, without doubt, a tremendous first step at honoring those Tennesseans who first tasted freedom here.”…
Read the full story
NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Three of the five members of the Davidson County Election Commission ignored the plain meaning of Tennessee law and voted to set August 2, 2018 as the date for the special election to select a new mayor of Nashville late Friday afternoon, thereby plunging the city into a likely firestorm of lawsuits and threatening the legitimacy of an election held on that date. The meeting was convened in response to the resignation of Mayor Megan Barry on March 6, and the swearing in of Vice Mayor David Briley the same day as acting mayor. Briley has already declared that he will be a candidate for mayor in the upcoming special election. Commission Chairman Jim DeLanis, Commissioner Jesse Neil, and Commissioner Emily Reynolds, all Republicans, formed the three member majority who voted in favor of the motion to set the election date at August 2. Commissioner Tricia Herzfeld and Commissioner A.J. Starling, both Democrats, formed the two member minority who voted against the motion. By the same three to two margin, the commission rejected an earlier motion by Commissioner Herzfeld, an attorney, to submit a request for declaratory judgment before the Chancery Court on Monday to obtain an official ruling…
Read the full story
Megan Barry, the public face of the proposed $9 billion light rail transit plan may be gone from office, but don’t expect the issue to die. The Metro Nashville Democratic mayor resigned in disgrace March 6 after pleading guilty to felony charges following the revelation of her extra-marital affair with her chief bodyguard, former police Sgt. Rob Forrest. The Tennessean reports that new Mayor David Briley has also been a staunch supporter of the light rail transit plan, which is set for a May 1 referendum. The newspaper calls him a progressive liberal Democrat who has long wanted to be mayor. The newspaper says, “In the weeks ahead, he will take the torch on Barry’s May 1 transit referendum on raising four taxes to pay for a $5.4 billion transit plan with light rail.” The Tennessean uses the $5.4 billion estimate, the figure transit supporters like to throw around. NewsChannel 5 reported that after Briley was sworn in, he said he plans to hold a series of town hall meetings to talk about a variety of issues — including transit, which he called his first priority. “It’s the most important thing that is confronting our city right now and I’m committed to working…
Read the full story
David Briley was sworn in as the eighth mayor of Metro Nashville/Davidson County at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 54 and a half years after his grandfather, Beverly Briley, was sworn in as the first mayor of consolidated Metro Nashville/Davidson County in 1963. As Vice Mayor of Nashville, the position to which he was elected in 2015, David Briley was in line to become mayor in the event of the resignation or death of the elected mayor under terms of the Metro Nashville/Davidson County Charter, which, ironically, his grandfather had a hand in crafting. Former Mayor Megan Barry resigned in disgrace earlier on Tuesday after pleading guilty to felony theft of property charges in the morning. A special election will be held in August to select a mayor who will serve the remaining year of former Mayor Barry’s term. “The ceremony took place in the Metro Council Chambers where Briley had presided as Vice Mayor and President of the Metro Council since his election in August 2015,” WSMV reported. “The acting mayor said he does not plan to travel with a police security detail and he plans to drive himself to and from work,” WKRN reported, a marked contrast to his…
Read the full story