Keeping It Local

The Daily · · 6 min read

Good afternoon, everyone. Today:

  1. Today, reflections on last night's event
  2. Vandy gets more money and buildings
  3. The fifth installment of Tales from the Westside

And much more!

Thank you to everyone who attended our event with Gabriel Mann on Spencer Pratt's mayoral campaign last night. If you weren't there, you missed out. But we do these once a month, so keep your eyes peeled for the next event.

There is sometimes a tendency to magnify an issue that sits under the umbrella of "local political grievances" and amplify it for a broader audience.

Pratt's campaign drew widespread attention for its creativity and energy, but he was very narrowly focused on the people in the city and their particular concerns.

A related parable to ponder as we head into the weekend:

On a street, there are three tailors.

The first to set up shop hung a sign reading, "Here is the best tailor in the town."

The next shop's sign read, "Here is the best tailor in the world."

And the third simply read, "Here is the best tailor on this street."

If you would like to support our work and ensure these wonderful events persist into the future, you can give a tax-deductible donation to our affiliate non-profit here.

METRO COUNCIL WATCH

New Council Watch Features We've added additional features to Council Watch. In addition to who's funding your council member, you can now see how they vote and who they vote with most frequently. (Take a Look)

HEADLINES

  • West End neighbors hand Vanderbilt a wish list for its Innovation District.

    The Hillsboro-West End Neighborhood Association is asking Vanderbilt to lower building heights, shrink the scale of the 43-acre project nearest the neighborhood, fund traffic-calming, and stand up an ongoing design-review committee. Metro Council passed the rezoning on first reading Tuesday; the public hearing and second reading land Aug. 4, with CM Tom Cash signaling he'll seek a deferral if constituents want more time.

    Post
  • Anonymous $25M gift fuels a new Vanderbilt science hub.

    Vanderbilt says unnamed donors have given $25 million toward a 210,000-square-foot, 10-story interdisciplinary research facility on the former Stevenson 6 site, set to open at the end of 2028. It'll house roughly 50 principal investigators spanning chemical biology, bioengineering, nanophotonics, and quantum computing across the College of Arts and Science, Engineering, and Medicine Basic Sciences.

    WSMV
  • Tennessee automakers swept into the UK's Diesel-Gate sequel.

    A civil suit in Britain's High Court accuses Ford, Nissan, Mercedes, Renault, and Stellantis-owned Peugeot and Citroën of fitting diesels with software that runs clean in the lab but dirty on the road—some allegedly emitting up to 12 times the nitrogen oxide shown in testing. Two of the named manufacturers have deep Tennessee roots: Nissan, headquartered in Franklin with plants in Smyrna and Decherd, and Ford, still expanding its BlueOval City complex. A ruling is expected this summer.

    Tennessee Star

DEVELOPMENT

  • Opryland-area restaurant Cock of the Walk closes after 42 years

    NBJ

Who's a Good Girl?

The fifth installment in Tales from the Westside

Briley was a rescue dog. A German Shepherd-Doberman mix, I found on a Friday at rush hour trying to cross Briley Parkway, the six lane, speed demon’s wet dream, that stands between the Nations and Charlotte Park. It was more than a few years ago, back before the “flyover” section above the Parkway was constructed, when you could get to the airport in 15 minutes, no matter your location or the time of day.

I’d left my house a few moments before and was easing down Urbandale Ave. when I saw her on my right, trotting down the slim-to-none strip of concrete that served as a sidewalk, heading for God-knows-where. The endless smile on her big goofy face was infectious. Now that’s the epitome of happiness! I said through a grin of my own, returning my attention to the traffic which had slowed to a crawl.

The prancing puppy, however, was doing anything but crawling and as she headed for the dangerous intersection of Urbandale and Briley, she began veering in and out of the street, peering expectantly at the windows of the cars in front of me as if she was looking for someone.

Continue reading

THINGS TO DO

FRIDAY

🎻 Dolly Parton's Threads: My Songs in Symphony @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 11a & 6p, $49, Info

🎸 Tophouse @ Exit/In, 8p, $33.34, Info

🎸 Andrew Peterson @ Ryman Auditorium, 7p, $60+, Info

🪕 The Cowpokes @ Acme Feed & Seed, 12p, Free, Info

🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info

Saturday

ShowVenueTimePriceLink
The DartsThe Blue Room7p$19Info for The Darts
The Amanda Cook BandStation Inn9p$25Info for The Amanda Cook Band
Joshua Hedley & The HedlinersDee's Lounge9p$10Info for Joshua Hedley & The Hedliners
Kelley’s HeroesRobert’s Western World6:30pFreeInfo for Kelley’s Heroes

Sunday

ShowVenueTimePriceLink
PinbackFogg Street Lawn Club5p$53.13Info for Pinback
Diarrhea PlanetEastside Bowl6:30p$31.44Info for Diarrhea Planet
The Human League With Very Special Guests Soft Cell & Alison MoyetGrand Ole Opry House7p$50Info for The Human League With Very Special Guests Soft Cell & Alison Moyet
Bluegrass Jam+ a night for musicians and singers from all over the world to gather and enjoy making music togetherStation Inn7pFreeInfo for Bluegrass Jam
Sundays Between with Easy Green+ a bluegrass celebration of the music of the Grateful DeadTennessee Brew Works1pInfo for Sundays Between with Easy Green

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

The rest of today's issue

Keep reading: free, just your email

Headlines, tools, development and tonight's shows are one step away. Tomorrow's Daily comes with it.

Newsletters

Comments

Bards join the discussion. Everyone can read it.

Like what we do? Forward us to a friend.

Members

Get in the roomYou're in the room

Bards get free, privileged admittance to Pamphleteer events, and a say in the comments under every story. The membership pays for The Pamphleteer's reporting, member features and events.

The Bard$50 a monthThat's you

Become a BardYour membership