Q&A with Courtney Johnston

If elected, what will your number one legislative priority be and why?

We need to secure the border. The Biden Administration has left the border wide-open and weak Republicans like Andy Ogles aren't doing anything about it. It is imperative that we end this threat to national security. Without a border, we are not a country - plain and simple.

Are you willing to support former President Donald Trump during his campaign to retake the White House? If elected, which of his policy platforms are you looking forward to supporting him on?

I support President Trump, because our country cannot afford four more years of President Biden destroying our economy and putting the safety of Americans at risk daily. I look forward to working with President Trump to fight inflation, secure the border, and protect Americans at home and abroad.

Do you think the federal government has too much influence over state and local policies? If so, how do you plan to combat federal overreach? If not, what steps will you take to ensure that the needs of Tennesseans are better represented in federal policy?

The federal government has far too much power. We cannot allow the overreach we see daily to continue. Washington Bureaucrats from California and New York do not know what is best for Tennessee. Public service means listening to your community. Being accessible to your constituents is essential to public service, and as a Member of Congress, I will always be accessible with offices actually open in the district too so that we can have effective representation in Washington to address the needs of Middle Tennessee.

You’ve dealt with a heavily progressive Metro Council throughout the years you’ve served locally in Nashville. Making diplomatic headway with colleagues across the aisle will likely be part of your job if elected to Congress. Do you see any areas where there’s room for Democrats and Republicans in DC to find common ground?

Despite being heavily outnumbered on Metro Council, I have been able to make significant strides that directly impact Nashville and Davidson County residents. I've passed common sense fiscal policy and closed one of the largest homeless encampments in Nashville. I always have and always will fight for law enforcement, increasing pay and the securing tools our officers need in order to safely do their jobs. That's why Fraternal Order of Police Lodges across Middle Tennessee endorsed me—I am honored they have my back and I will always have theirs.

I am ready to take my no-nonsense approach to Washington to reduce spending, close our Southern Border, and be the Member of Congress Middle Tennesseans deserve.

🏘️ It’s All About Affordable Housing This week, the council passed a watered-down NEST bill. The legislation approves blanket zoning, which allows for adaptive residential developments to be built in non-residential zoning districts, but was passed with a few caveats: amendments were adopted to limit the corridors where this zoning change is allowed and restrict short-term rentals.

Bill sponsor Rollin Horton explained the benefits of his legislation, chief among them being the creation of more affordable housing. “This eases pressure on housing markets and helps lower the cost in the midst of an affordability crisis for our city,” he told his colleagues.

While a significant number of council members approved the legislation, not everyone was on board with the proposal. Though Councilmember Jennifer Gamble commended the bill’s intentions, she called it a “one-size-fits-all” solution, and worried that it would “take power away from the community” when it came to input over future neighborhood developments.

“I think this legislation is getting ahead of…the mayor's transit plan,” Gamble said. “Which will really be a game changer for our community, for the suburban community, because it will bring in the improvements of infrastructure and transportation that will help support that increased density of residents and housing.” 

The North Nashville council member hit the nail on the head with her assessment. Since introducing “Choose How You Move” in May, O’Connell has spoken of pursuing HUD grants in order to qualify for federal transportation funding. In his proposal, the mayor plans to acquire undeveloped land near transit hubs in order to build affordable housing. MEGAN PODSIEDLIK

Click here for an interactive map of how the new zoning bill will impact Davidson County.

🌆 A New Authority In Town? After wrestling with the state legislature and weathering pushback from local constituents, Metro Council is still debating the creation of an East Bank Development Authority. On Tuesday, July 2nd, the bill to establish an authority was passed on its second reading. Per request of sponsor Jacob Kupin, the council also agreed to defer the third and final reading of the legislation until August 20th.

Over the last few weeks, Metro Chief Development Officer Bob Mendes has spoken with various committees, bringing the council up to speed on the legislation. First of all, as you’ll recall, the authority’s board will include five voting members appointed by the mayor, two appointed by the council, and two occupied or appointed by the speakers of the state House and Senate.

As for the council’s questions about staffing, payroll, and the breadth of the authority’s power, it appears the body won’t get any real answers until they confirm agreement with the state’s legislation. Once approved, “...the next steps would be to appoint board members and get an executive director,” explained Mendes. “And then, at that point in time, there still would be no budget, no money, no revenue, no assets—the authority would still have absolutely nothing.” Instead, a second piece of legislation would have to be taken up sometime in 2025, he said. MEGAN PODSIEDLIK

DEVELOPMENT

• Ashton Woods brings 155 units to Murfreesboro (NBJ)
• Florida real estate company opens Nashville office (Post)
• Preleasing starts for apartment tower (Post)

✹ REVIEW: CRUMB CATCHER (2023)

Dissecting the American class system is just fine when Bernie rails against the banks or Trump assaults the D.C. swamp, but always-online armchair pundits are much more reticent to talk about their own power in the service economy in a country this wealthy. It’s a topic that seems to best lend itself to the latest Robert Reich Facebook ramble, but as Chris Skotchdopole’s debut film, Crumb Catcher, proves transactional relationships serve as a fertile foundation for an effective and brutally funny thriller. 

Shane and Leah should have never gotten married. He’s an on-the-rise writer about to release a memoir about growing up Hispanic with an alcoholic father. She’s the white liberal publishing house drone hoping to exploit his heritage so she can get credit for the next book club sensation. But when John, the irritating, overly verbose waiter from their reception, shows up at the door of their modernist Honeymoon getaway with the Trojan Horse of a lost wedding cake topper, the problems the couple has long repressed runneth over. He’s here to show off the Crumb Catcher–an ineffective fine dining gadget that allows patrons to sweep up their own mess–and he won’t release his captive audience until he and his con artist wife get what’s coming to them.

Crumb Catcher could have easily succumbed to the worst excesses of the smarmy indies clogging up the lower recs of a random free streaming channel. However, Skotchdopole’s lean script and talent for tension-building position the film as more low-budget heir to 90s thrillers like The Game than the fruit of a desperate Kickstarter campaign. As the movie’s big bad, John Speredakos constantly shifts between desolation and unhinged menace, turning in what will surely be the year’s most unfairly ignored performance come awards season. What John’s doing is clearly wrong, but Shane and Leah’s sins may be just as vile. In its navigation of the dark side of getting ahead, Skotchdopole’s film reminds us we’re all complicit–especially those who hide behind the screen of high culture to pretend they’re above it all.

Crumb Catcher opens Friday at AMC Thoroughbred 20.

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 and yearly festival guide.

TONIGHT

🪕 George Clark Shifflett III & His Big Country Orchestra @ Station Inn, 9p, $20, Info

🪕 Bluegrass Nights w/ Dailey & Vincent @ Ryman Auditorium, 7:30p, $29+, Info

🎸 Adam Meisterhans Trio @ Vinyl Tap, 7p, Free, Info

🍀 Live Irish Music @ McNamara’s Irish Pub, 6p, Free, Info

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

🎸 Open Mic @ Fox & Locke, 6:30p, Free, Info
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