Caution: Anti-ICE Ahead
Good afternoon, everyone. TN lawmakers greeted by anti-ICE protestors during the first day of session... Your trash and recycling pickup day may change in February... TN stops allowing SNAP benefits for sugary foods... and much more!
Join us tomorrow! for an evening with Joe Allen as he pulls back the curtain on the entities behind the advancement of transhumanism and artificial intelligence.
This is the second discussion hosted by the Pamphleteer's new monthly speaker series. Paying Bard-level subscribers receive free access to this and future events. (Buy Tickets)
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Tennessee Lawmakers get an anti-ICE-y welcome
From Megan Podsiedlik
“Is this what it’s going to be like all session?” asked an attendee while exiting last night’s General Assembly welcoming party. Those making their way in and out of the event at the Tennessee State Museum were greeted with angry protesters, mostly calling for the abolition of ICE.
Earlier, House members attending yesterday’s floor session were met with similar fanfare. The body briskly moved through the 2026 114th General Assembly’s first day of business despite disruptions.
Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) made his mark by deploying a degree of sexual innuendo when denouncing a bill that limits the location of establishments that host sexually explicit events.
“If you feel a little turned on when you go to a drag show, that’s okay,” he said, insinuating that Republicans doth protest too much when passing bills that limit obscenity and pornography.
Though Jones doesn’t recognize a need for such regulations, the legislation, which was carried over from last year, passed on its final reading in the House.
We’re keeping an eye on a number of bills that are carrying over from last year, including legislation that would give pesticide companies legal immunity. It’s expected to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee next week. This year’s filing deadline for new bills is January 30.
The Men Behind the Machine We hear endless warnings about the existential dangers of transhumanism and artificial intelligence, but almost none about the individuals and interests behind their advance. What do they believe? What does their vision for the future of humanity look like? How does this affect how they organize and lead their companies?
On Thursday, January 15th, Joe Allen will join us to discuss just that. Allen is a writer and Bannon's War Room correspondent. His 2023 book, Dark Aeon, chronicles the rise of artificial intelligence and transhumanism, arguing that unchecked technological advancement poses a threat to humanity.
This event is for the benefit of The Pamphleteer. Every dollar earned goes toward supporting our operations and planning future events. Paying Bard-level subscribers receive free access to this and future events. (Buy Tickets)
HEADLINES
- 🗑 Starting February 2, trash and recycling pickup days are changing. Nashville residents can look up their new collection day using Metro’s New Pickup Day Lookup Tool. If your current collection day is Monday, it will change. Residents currently collected Tuesday through Friday may also see their collection day change. (Metro Nashville)
- 🍎 TN will stop allowing SNAP benefits for candy, soda, energy drinks, and other processed foods starting July 31, 2026. The change aims to ensure SNAP funds support more nutritious options rather than sugary, highly processed items. (Tennessean)
- 🤳 Sorry I missed your call… Hundreds of thousands of Verizon customers are experiencing service outages across the nation, including Nashville users. According to an outage tracking website, AT&T, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular users are also experiencing outages. The cause of the crash is still unknown. (Fox17)
- ✨ Tennessee experienced a five-year high in mass layoffs last year, driven by increased AI adoption, a cooling labor market, and shifting trade policies. At the same time, the state also added 25,000 jobs, keeping unemployment relatively low. Economists expect modest job growth and slightly higher unemployment in 2026. (Tennessean)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Please remove the spirited individual, Highway Trooper. Thank you.” — TN House Speaker Cameron Sexton as he calmly asked for the removal of a disruptive attendee from the gallery during yesterday’s 38-minute House floor session.
DEVELOPMENT
- Eberjey will open in Wedgewood-Houston, Jones Road beauty brand opens in 12South (NBJ)
- Smoky Mountain Logistics shutters Lebanon facility, lays off 145 workers (NBJ)
- Manhattan company pays $49.25M for three industrial properties (Post)
- Lipscomb lands two restaurants for campus-area building (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
🪕 Nico Welsh & Miles Connor @ The Underdog, 7p, $10, Info
🪕 Thomm Jutz & Eric Brace @ Station Inn, 8p, Info
🎸 She's Gone: East Nashville's Incognito Grateful Dead Tribute @ Dee's Lounge, 7:30p, $10, Info
💀 Tennessee Dead @ Tennessee Brew Works, 6p, Info
🪕 Bluegrass Night @ The American Legion Post 82, 7p, 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.