Calm before the storm

Some light shilling and Pamphleteer housekeeping.

From Davis Hunt

Blaze Media asked me to help them edit a Tennessee section for the forthcoming issue of Frontier Magazine, a high-quality print magazine Blaze distributes to its Unlimited members.

In that section are included three Pamphleteer contributors, including myself. I wrote a profile of Clay Travis with an angle on how Williamson County handled COVID better than Davidson.

Hamilton Ellis, who wrote one of the more popular things we've published on the abandoned nuclear facility in Hartsville, penned a dispatch from Crockett County.

And Chase Steely, whose article on the Southern origins of eggnog gets more relevant by the day, explored the history of Elder's Bookstore and the lost literary legacy of Nashville it clings to. You can actually read Chase's essay online (if you pay).

Speaking of paying, as you might have noticed, we have an exciting set of events coming up. Want to mention those here quickly:

1. On Veterans' Day, November 11th, we're hosting a screening at NuMynd Studios of Call Sign Courage, a documentary about the current Under Secretary of the Air Force, Lt. Col. Matt Lohmeier, blowing the whistle on Marxism in the military. RSVP here. Spots are going fast.
2. The Southern Revival Salon on November 15th. A classed-up, cowboy-formal type thing with an open bar, music, and the opportunity to meet some of the most talented and influential people in Nashville. Tickets can be had here for a 25% discount with code PAMPHLETEER.

We have other exciting events planned for December and January. More to come on that front.

If you enjoy what we do, please consider signing up for a paid membership. Whenever possible, we put on these events for free, but they often require us to put up some cash. A membership is the best way to support our cause and ensure that we can keep putting on fun activities to fill your social calendar.

Thank you for your continued support.

Onward.

🖋️ Edited by Megan Podsiedlik.

🎤 The Kid Rock Effect Former auto dealer Lee Beaman enlisted Kid Rock to help him land a nomination to the Tennessee Valley Authority board from President Donald Trump. The local businessman is one of three Tennesseans nominated to oversee the government-owned power corporation. Still awaiting confirmation, Beaman shared with the Nashville Business Journal how he went about pursuing the gig.

He secured recommendations from Governor Bill Lee, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows, U.S. Representative Jim Jordan, and economist Art Laffer. Kid Rock even made a direct phone call to President Trump on Beaman’s behalf. “Twenty minutes later, he called me back and said, 'I just talked with him, and you're in!’” Beaman told NBJ.

"I don't think you have to necessarily be an expert in a field to be successful and to contribute to it," Beaman said of his potential appointment. "It’s the organizational part of it where I can hopefully have a very positive impact. I understand the strategy behind where TVA needs to go. I’m not going to be able to build a nuclear plant — but I understand it needs to get done."

⛈️ The Last Community Meeting Before the Storm Last night, about 50 people trickled into the Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church for the last community presentation on proposed zoning changes. The glaring question that remains unanswered is: “Why establish new zoning options before addressing infrastructure concerns across the county?”

“The infrastructure sucks in Nashville,” said one District 15 resident. The small crowd applauded her assessment. When asked about the infrastructure study being carried out by Metro, city planner Greg Claxton said their “hope is to have it within the next month or two.” Claxton also suggested that if residents want the zoning proposals to be deferred until infrastructure information is available, it should be taken up with the Council.

A District 11 resident shared her concern about how Nashville taxpayers will be impacted by impending infrastructure costs. Claxton answered by pinning the lack of infrastructure support on the state. 

He explained that Nashville planners have been frustrated when looking to other cities for inspiration on how to support density and growth. “They have a tool that we don't have access to,” said Claxton. “They have a tool called an impact fee…. We're prohibited from having that by the state, even though all the counties around us are allowed to have it.”

“That produces a little fear in me as well, because we don't have a plan,” said the attendee. “We want to go spend the money, but we don't have a plan to protect the taxpayer.”

Councilmembers Jeff Eslick (District 11) and Jeff Gregg (District 15) both hinted that several amendments to the current legislation are in the works. Eslick said he’s considering supporting BL2025-1006—the legislation that simplifies some regulations and reduces the maximum building height for single-family and two-family homes in the R and RS districts—but doesn’t plan on supporting the other three bills.

Eslick also shared that, despite the pushback, he thinks all four bills are likely to pass with an abundance of council support. Community members are encouraged to voice their opinions on the proposed legislation at next Tuesday’s Metro Council meeting during the public hearing. 

Want to know more? Check out our previous overview of the legislation and reporting on the RN zoning proposal, issues with DADUs, concerns over neighborhood infighting, and more.

🚨 Crime Stats Not Translating to a Feelings of Safety New data is in, and Nashvillians simply don’t feel safer despite the reported decrease in certain crimes across the city. According to information released by the Nashville Police + Public Safety Alliance, 58 percent of those surveyed think crime is increasing in Nashville.

Compared to 2024, more people feel immediate concern for their own safety and for their property than last year, fewer people feel Nashville is safer than similar-sized cities, and fewer people think Nashville is safer than five years ago.

HEADLINES

• 🗞️ The Nashville Banner received a $1.2 million grant from the American Journalism Project – a large, national group that has received funding from OpenAI, Google, Facebook, JP Morgan Chase, and many other foundations.
• 🗳️ Restaurant entrepreneur Andy Marshall, owner of the Tennessee-based Puckett’s restaurant chain, has declared his candidacy for mayor of Williamson County, Tennessee, with a formal announcement slated at the downtown Franklin Puckett’s location.

DEVELOPMENT

• >100 workers to be laid off at Nashville data company NTT Data (WSMV)
• Council to review proposed Midtown Business Improvement District (Post)
• Magnolia, Tenn Properties pay $88.3M for Brentwood Commons (Post)
• Residential building eyed for Wedgewood-Houston (Post)

THINGS TO DO

View our calendar for the week 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

🎻 Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 7:30p, $30+, Info

🎸 Steve Hackett @ Ryman Auditorium, 8p, $12+, Info

🎸 8 Track: 70's Halloween! @ Eastside Bowl, 9p, $23.20+, Info

🎸 Sparkle City Disco Presents Spooky City @ The Blue Room, 8p, $26, 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.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik and Camelia Brennan.