An Instant Classic!
📚 The summer's most anticipated release · O'Connell acts unfazed by DHS probe · A look at housing policy · Repeat offender all-star · Film rundown · Much more!
Good afternoon, everyone. Today we catch up with the latest on the investigation into Mayor O’Connell’s interference with ICE operations, take a look at the Sycamore Institute’s report on housing policy in the state, bestow an honor of distinction on today’s Repeat Offender All-Star, and furnish our weekly film rundown of all the week’s new releases. First time reading? Sign up here.
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The full, unredacted writings of Audrey Elizabeth Hale have hit the printing press. Yesterday, the FBI released 112 additional pages of writings and drawings from Hale’s journals. The journals probe the bounds of acceptable speech, making them an instant classic.
The writings are a seminal work pushing the bounds of permissible speech, making them an instant classic. They belong in the Library of Congress. Let the scholars, and potentially, the especially motivated future school shooters among us sink their teeth into the wildly creative mind of Nashville’s most acclaimed mass murderer.
The Tennessee Star report has imprinted their own version of the writings, using the opportunity to grow their email list. “The Covenant Killer Manifesto: A Journal by Audrey Elizabeth Hale” is available to those who hand over their emails for free.
The reviews have yet to roll in, so we’ve yet to form a consensus opinion on whether or not Hale’s output can match up to that of great American writers like William Faulkner and Herman Mellville. Until then, Hale’s collected writings will make for great poolside reading this weekend. Or, better yet, illuminated by candlelight as you sip a hot cup of tea before bed. DAVIS HUNT
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🖋️ Edited by Megan Podsiedlik.
🗣️ From The Mayor’s Roundtable Mayor Freddie O’Connell says he’s “not particularly concerned” about the probe into his administration’s actions concerning the recent federal immigration enforcement operations in Nashville. During this morning’s media roundtable, the mayor says his office plans to “respond appropriately” to all inquiries made by higher authorities.
Yesterday, members of the House Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees sent O’Connell a letter outlining their investigation into his office. They’ve given the mayor’s office until June 12 to send over documents relating to their inquiry, which includes a look at his executive order that directs Metro employees to urgently report all communications with federal immigration officials. “This Executive Order could have a chilling effect on the ability of local law enforcement to communicate freely and candidly with federal immigration employees,” reads the letter.
O’Connell’s office has also been accused of endangering the lives of ICE agents by releasing their personal information to the public, and Nashville has landed on the Department of Homeland Security’s new list of known “sanctuary jurisdictions.” The mayor denied both, saying his office “doxxed” the ICE agents by accident and that Nashville doesn’t meet the legal criteria of a sanctuary city.
That said, the messaging from the mayor’s office seems to change under pressure. Two weeks ago, O’Connell made it clear that he would not be encouraging illegals in Nashville to take advantage of Trump’s exit bonuses for those who leave the country voluntarily: “Particularly, our foreign-born residents have a very measurably higher level of belonging in this city,” he said. “We would not want to disrupt that.” Metro Legal Director Wally Dietz also said he’d be looking into whether it’s legal for Metro departments to tip off when they know of planned enforcement operations.
🏘️ A Look At Housing Policy Yesterday, the Sycamore Institute published a report on how state and local policy can shape housing access and affordability. The overview sounds closely aligned with some of the NEST initiatives we have seen crop up in Nashville that focus on density. According to the think tank, local governments can adjust zoning and land-use regulations to permit higher-density housing, mixed-use developments, or accessory dwelling units to boost the housing stock.
The institute also mentioned how streamlining permitting processes and investing in infrastructure, such as transportation and utilities, can lower development costs and make new housing projects more viable, especially in regions where growth is outpacing supply. State and local governments can also leverage tax incentives, grants, or subsidies to spur affordable housing development and support low-income households, says the study.
DEVELOPMENT
- Belmont Music Row project start looms (Post)
- Nashville to gain two fragrance stores (Post)
- Green Hills office building sells for $12M (Post)
- East Nashville commercial building listed for sale (Post)
- Brunello Cucinelli to operate in Wedgewood-Houston (Post)
✹ REPEAT OFFENDER ALL-STAR OF THE DAY
While still on supervised probation, Knott was taken into custody after a police pursuit and is now facing 13 new felony counts: one count of attempted criminal homicide, two separate prohibited-weapon/possession charges, and ten counts of mitigated statutory rape tied to an under-age girl who is pregnant by him, plus a misdemeanor evading-arrest charge.
Most of those cases are open and set for initial hearings in late May; two of the weapons counts and the misdemeanor were quickly bonded out. A probation-violation hearing in the 2022 case is already docketed for June 4, 2025.
Knott racked up a string of convictions stemming from a November 2021–July 2022 crime spree: seven felony convictions (three counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, two counts of theft of a vehicle valued $10k–$60k, and two counts of felony evading arrest by motor vehicle) along with three misdemeanors that were later dismissed.
He served split confinement sentences of 60 days in a CCA facility on several counts and was placed on one- to three-year supervised probation, which has been reinstated twice due to violations. The original docket also included a felony vandalism charge and other misdemeanors that were ultimately dismissed. (More Info)
✹ WEEKLY FILM RUNDOWN: May 30-June 5
The latest releases and special screenings hitting Music City this week. For a complete list of upcoming titles, check out the 2025 Film Guide.
Pavements (Dir. Alex Ross Perry) The 90s’ favorite surf punk indie band gets a semi-fictionalized documentary that satirizes overwrought Oscar-bait biopics and has been wowing audiences on the festival circuit. Now playing at The Belcourt. Friday screenings feature intros and Q&As with members of the band.
Karate Kid: Legends (Dir. Jonathan Entwistle) OG protege Ralph Macchio joins up with Jackie Chan to bridge the worlds of Cobra Kai and the 2010 remake. Thankfully, there’s no Jaden Smith in sight. Now playing in theaters.
Bring Her Back (The Philippous) A brother and sister uncover the ritualistic tendencies of their new foster mother at a country estate in the latest from the brothers behind the 2023 horror hit Talk To Me. Now playing in theaters.
Nashville: A City on Film/Altman at 100 The Belcourt turned 100 this year. So did the late Robert Altman. To celebrate, Nashville’s arthouse has curated a selection of films shot in Nashville from Harmony Korine’s Gummo to the little-seen Girl from Tobacco Row to Ernest Scared Stupid. The tribute to the 70s film icon features a lineup including Thieves Like Us, The Player, and California Split. Fittingly, both festivities kick off this week with a screening of Altman’s Nashville hosted by special guest Keith Carradine.
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here and our weekly film rundown here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🎸 Music City Rodeo featuring Jelly Roll @ Bridgestone Amphitheater, 6:30p, $59, Info
🎸 Rattlesnake Milk @ The Basement, 9p, $18, Info
🎸 The Greeting Committee @ The Blue Room, 7p, $28.60, Info
🪕 Steve Huber and The Flatheads @ The Station Inn, 9p, $25, Info
🪕 The Cowpokes @ Acme Feed & Seed, 12p, Free, Info
🍀 Live Irish Music @ McNamara’s Irish Pub, 6p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
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Today's newsletter is brought to you by Megan Podsiedlik (Nashville), Jerod Hollyfield (Crowd Corner), Camelia Brennan (Local Noise), and Davis Hunt (everything else).