A Nashville reporter who has reported on ICE was detained at a stop in South Nashville yesterday. Estefany Rodríguez fled Colombia after getting death threats and is awaitng an asylum hearing.
nashvillebanner.com/2026/03/05/j...
Plus updates on East Bend/PSC scrapyard site, Buchanan Street overlay and Choose How You Move progress:
Nashville Public Library main downtown branch finally has a tentative reopening date (March 30) after nine months closed. From the @nashvillebanner.bsky.social:
New proposal from House Speaker Cameron Sexton would take over all airport authorities, not just Nashville's. Seems designed to avoid Home Rule arguments at issue in ongoing Supreme Court case.
TN homeland security commissioner re: @nashvillebanner.bsky.social and co. ICE/THP investigation:
“I don’t think it’s appropriate what happened. ... We don’t have control over other agencies, but we limited the amount of participation that we did after that. That’s the only operation we’ve done."
According to emails reviewed by the Scene, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn coordinated a personal power restoration timeline with NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin during Winter Storm Fern.
NEW: In an agreed order, the Attorney General’s Office said it will not enforce a law that would impose felony criminal liability on elected officials who vote for sanctuary policies. CM Clay Capp: "This is a huge victory for free speech and self-government”
nashvillebanner.com/2026/02/25/t...
In the aftermath of the Antioch school shooting, Metro Council adopted a resolution requesting that MNPD assess the safety plans of Nashville’s public schools. One year later, that report hasn’t been released yet.
The gyms at Shelby Park and Easley community centers were closed last week due to structural concerns. An official said the ice storm caused “cracking” in beams, but a community center gym roof with the same design collapsed last year.
✍️ @stelliott.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=scI1...
Agents wrote on detainees, in one case referring to the "mark of the beast," to track arrests by team. After a restaurant employee was detained, an agent joked, "The guacamole’s never going to taste the same now," and continued even after the trooper said his body cam was “hot.” (4/11)
@stelliott.bsky.social and Araceli Crescencio also wrote this story, detailing the aftermath of these arrests on individuals who were deported and their families. It highlights conditions in detention centers and economic strain caused by the operation:
nashvillebanner.com/2026/02/19/i...
-Robert's Rules of Order 150th birthday
-We have the names for the mayoral winter storm response commission
-Resolution calling for firing NES CEO on hold for now
And the rest from last night's Metro Council meeting
The Metro Council has several items on its Tuesday agenda related to recovery from the recent winter storm. Check out our preview of the meeting:
📝: @stelliott.bsky.social
Metro Council reduction lawsuit arguments at the Tennessee Supreme Court underway: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpNj...
Whether you're a longtime Nashville resident newly interested in your city government or a recent transplant hoping to keep up with what's going on, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County can be hard to follow. That's why we put together this guide.
✍️: @stelliott.bsky.social
I learned that Dawn Deaner, currently speaking to the Metro Council about indigent defense, is running for criminal court judge from the @nashvillebanner.bsky.social
sitting at Metro Council thinking of this I read in a Carl Hiaasen book the other day
Tonight is the annual pre-budget public comment period. That's a two-hour opportunity for residents to weigh in on the city's annual budget before it all gets negotiated in a few months. Sign up to speak at city hall starting at 5. First come first served.
this isn't me by the way!
“¡Comida gratis!” One of the numerous community aid efforts underway in frozen Nashville this week was dedicated to delivering hot meals to cold and fearful immigrant families.
📝 @iamstevenhale.bsky.social and @stelliott.bsky.social
"We may have some real Planning heads listening..."
In a special podcast episode, the Banner’s @iamstevenhale.bsky.social and @stelliott.bsky.social talk about the first Metro Council meeting of the year, what the Planning Commission does and the sort-of start or the mayoral race.
I talked to Nashville Police Chief John Drake about falling crime rates, local debates about surveillance technology and ICE. nashvillebanner.com/2026/01/22/m...
At its first meeting of 2026 on Tuesday, the Metro Council rejected grant funds for new downtown security cameras while accepting funds for other downtown security items. Here’s @stelliott.bsky.social's rundown of the meeting.
Vincent Dixie is running for Congress again and Fran Bush is running for school board again. (From this morning's Flyer newsletter @nashvillebanner.bsky.social)
Pretty nice little podcast chat with @sarahgracetaylor.bsky.social about the return of the Tennessee legislature which you can listen to here or in your podcast app. nashvillebanner.com/2026/01/16/d...
