No. 697: And the survey says...

Good afternoon, everyone.

Hope you're staying dry out there. That brief fling with spring will give way to a quick cold bout after the storm passes.

If you’ve poked around local media for the past couple of weeks, you’ve likely run into the results of the Imagine Nashville survey. Their research process involved a blend of methodologies including online, phone, and in-person conversations with 10,000+ community respondents over a 100-day period.

The results reveal public sentiment that aligns almost perfectly with Mayor O’Connell’s campaign platform and, as we move toward November's transit referendum and beyond, will likely serve as a "mandate from heaven," permission for the administration to pursue their top priorities.

Being who I am, I was understandably skeptical when the results were released, so I sought out the crosstabs, a pretty standard request when a study like this is released. Four weeks later, I've not received a response from Imagine Nashville about their availability.

The Nashville public deserves as much transparency as possible, especially when it comes to a massive survey that presents itself as the “North Star” of the city’s future.

Onward.

↯ WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN

Yesterday, the House passed Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) and Rep. Monty Fritts’ (R-Kingston) weather manipulation bill, banning geoengineering and chemical disbursement to alter Tennessee’s atmosphere.

Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) attempted to add some color to the bill with an amendment that would “make sure we're protecting Yetis or Sasquatch or Bigfoot from whatever this conspiracy theory is that we're passing in this legislation,” instigating a retort from Rep. Fritts.

“It bothers me to have to bring this legislation to you,” he said from the well of the House floor. “It bothers me further that we would take something as serious as clean air, clean water, and clean soil to grow our crops in and make a laughingstock of it with an amendment here tonight.”

Before renewing his motion to pass the bill, Fritts offered his colleagues a succinct closing appeal with some words of wisdom: “Everything that goes up must come down.”

Read more about last week’s committee discussion on the bill here.

FARM BUREAU BANKS ON SENATE AG REOPENING

Yesterday, the Tennessee Farm Bureau sent out an action alert, informing their subscribers that the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee will reopen this week to discuss the governor’s farmland easement bill.

According to the Bureau, the legislation is a “priority issue” and “a tool for farmers and landowners who may be feeling the pressure of development in their community,” but they may have jumped the gun on the timeline. Though the printed Senate calendar revealed an Ag committee meeting for tomorrow, it has not appeared online. Instead, sources have informed us that the committee may reopen sometime next week.

This comes after the bill was pulled from the agenda during the Senate’s Ag committee’s final meeting four weeks ago, effectively killing the legislation. Since then, Chair Sen. Steve Southerland has been approached by numerous supporters of the initiative who have asked him to reconsider its closure.

In an unrelated turn of events, Sen. Southerland was hospitalized yesterday following a health scare that arose during regular floor session. As paramedics ushered him out of the Capitol, Sen. Farrell Haile (R-Gallatin) asked his Senate colleagues to take a moment of silence and pray for Southerland’s swift recovery. Sources tell us the senator is in good condition.

Dive deeper into the controversy surrounding the bill here.

From Megan Podsiedlik

HEADLINES

The case of a mentally incompetent man released and now accused again (Channel 5) Last December, the Bowling Green Police Department arrested Johnson Lloyd, 25, for violently attacking and raping the clerk at a hotel off Interstate 65. Police said Lloyd had been trying to sleep on a couch in the hotel lobby and was repeatedly asked to leave when he physically and sexually assaulted the woman working behind the counter.

Tennessee bill would make illegally blocking roadway a felony (Center Square) Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, said the bill is intended to stop vehicles from blocking traffic and creating dangerous situations. The bill also would include protests that block a street.

Tennessee wildlife officials will pay you $100 to catch these invasive carps (Tennessean) TWRA is running a "silver carp reward tag project" in collaboration with Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. In both Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, fisheries will tag around 1,000 silver carp with a loop tag. Some silver carp will have an upper jaw band.

DEVELOPMENT

Eakin Partners in talks to sell downtown office tower (NBJ)
Work underway on residential project on city’s north side (Post)

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

🎸 Eric Thompson "Dead Roots Celebration" @ Dee's Lounge, 8p, $5, Info

🎸 Stephen Daly & The Cumberland Sliders @ The Underdog, 7:30p, Free, Info

🎸 Woofstock At The Winery With Emmylou Harris And Friends @ City Winery, 7:30p, $85+, Info

🎸 The Black Crows @ Ryman Auditorium, 8p, $49.50+, Info

🪕 Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival @ Multiple Venues, Info

🎺 Todd Day Wait @ The Underdog, 11:30p, Free, Info‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌
+ Honky Tonk Tuesday afterparty, down the street

🎸 Honky Tonk Tuesday @ American Legion Post 82, 5p, Free, Info‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌
+ two-step lessons @ 7p, The Cowpokes @ 8p