Community Notice: COVID-19 Community Testing and Vaccination Centers Open Monday – Friday

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Community Notice: COVID-19 Community Testing and Vaccination Centers Open Monday – Friday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Davidson County COVID-19 Community Testing and Vaccination Centers operated by Meharry Medical College will be open from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm Monday, March 14, 2022, through Friday, March 18, 2022. 

Previously, the sites were open from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. The new hours will be in effect until further notice.

However, the public should stay tuned to local news reports for updates on operations. Operations can be impacted by weather and other factors.

Testing and Vaccinations at both sites are free to the public. There is no appointment need and walk ups are welcome.

The centers are located at:

Former Kmart

2491 Murfreesboro Pike

Nashville, TN 37217

7:00 am – 1:00 pm

28th Avenue North Site

350 28th Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37217

7:00 am – 1:00 pm

For Other Testing Opportunities:

Visit Nashville COVID Vaccine Community Sites.

For more information regarding Metro Nashville Davidson County’s COVID-19 Response visit ASafeNashville.Org

Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival Returns to the Heart of Music City

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Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival Returns to the Heart of Music City

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival returns to the front lawn of the Metro Courthouse on Saturday, April 9th from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Festival is a family-friendly, admission-free celebration of spring and Japanese culture, beginning with the Cherry Blossom Walk, hosted by Sister Cities of Nashville, at 9:30 a.m.

Kaminari Taiko of Houston will open the festival. Throughout the day, the Main Stage will feature Japanese music and dance performances, a Cosplay Contest, and the rock band Kazha. A more intimate stage on the lawn, the Union Street Stage, will showcase martial arts demonstrations and the Pups in Pink Parade, benefitting the Nashville Humane Association.

Festival-goers can also enjoy a “Taste of Japan” from the offerings of Japanese food vendors and some of Nashville’s favorite food trucks with special menus designed just for the festival; shopping at the “Ginza Marketplace” and “Artist Avenue”; sumo-suit matches; a variety of children’s and anime activities in the “J-Funland” area; and in the “Arts & Culture” area, and the cultural lecture series.

For more information on what else is in store, please visit www.nashvillecherryblossomfestival.org.

Nashville to Host Summer Summit of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials

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Nashville to Host Summer Summit of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials

NASHVILLE – The Summer Summit of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials will be held in Nashville on July 21-25, hosting hundreds of local elected officials from around the country. Metro Nashville Council Member Sharon Hurt is serving as the 2021-2022 President of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.

“Nashville is honored to host local elected officials from around the country, and we look forward to sharing our diverse offerings and rich history,” Mayor John Cooper said. “We are proud of our four Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Nashville’s role as a hub for Black business and healthcare, and Music City’s roots in Black music and culture.”

This year is the first time that Nashville has played host to the group, which falls under the umbrella of the National League of Cities. The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials represents the interests of African American municipal officials and provides a forum to share ideas, best practices and develop leadership experiences. The group will meet at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville Yards.

“As the newly elected president of the National League of Cities National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, it is my honor to bring national leaders from across the country to experience the soul of the south, with our rich heritage of music, entertainment, the fight for civil rights and equality,” Hurt said. “We as local elected officials, are strongly positioned to solve critical issues facing our communities such as equity, economic development, inclusion, access to healthcare and education as we build on the legacy of our predecessors.”

“The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp looks forward to the arrival of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials to Music City in July,” said Marie Sueing, NCVC Chief Diversity Officer. “It is our desire and goal as a destination to be welcoming to all who visit our city. We are intentional about attracting multicultural meetings, conventions and leisure travelers to learn about and enjoy the rich cultural history, music and amazing institutions that call Nashville home. We believe Music City provides the perfect stage for these leaders to conduct the business of addressing issues relevant to Black and African American communities. We are proud to support the conference to ensure a successful and memorable experience in Nashville.”

Diverse Self-Guided Food Tour Returns

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Diverse Self-Guided Food Tour Returns

NASHVILLE, TN – Nations in Our Neighborhood is relaunching its passport program, where locals get a chance to sample plates at participating restaurants. For a limited time, guests can purchase a “passport” for $50.00 and receive a chef’s sampler plate at eight restaurants at their own leisure.

Get a chef’s surprise anytime from March 25 – June 12 at Culaccino, Anatolia, Bavarian Bierhaus, Biwarchi, Chateau West, Coco’s, McNamara’s Irish Pub and Osh.

“The passport tour allows participants to experience our community’s diverse dining with tastings at each location,” stated Nations in Our Neighborhood founder Renuka Christoph. “Whether a date night, girls night out, it’s a great way to get out, have fun and explore the culinary scene.”

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Sister Cities of Nashville.

“Sharing food is really at the heart of cultural exchange,” said Barry Kolar, Board Chair of Sister Cities of Nashville.  “When we sit down to a meal, we are not just getting a taste of a country’s culture, we are getting an insight into its climate, its geography, its lifestyle and its people. Sister Cities of Nashville is proud to be a part of this diverse food tour highlighting the many different cultures and people who call Nashville home.” 

A kick-off party will take place at Bavarian Bierhaus on March 25 from 6 pm – 8 pm where passports will be distributed. Guests can enjoy their sampler of The King Ludwig Platter consisting of Weiss Wurst Bratwurst, Rouladen (Beef Roll), and Kassler Ripchen (Pork Chop)

Purchase online here.

Visit www.nationsinourneighborhood.com for more information.

Titanic Crash: The Titans fall to Cincinnati in The Divisional Round

Mike Patton
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Titanic Crash: The Titans fall to Cincinnati in The Divisional Round

The energy was on another level as the Tennessee Titans opened the playoffs taking on the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL’s AFC Divisional Playoff round. The expectation for many Titans fans is the Titans would win this game and then move on to the next round. Three hours later, the collective groan you heard from Nissan Stadium was the disappointment of the Titans losing at home to the Bengals, 19-16, before a packed house. So, how did this happen? That answer is a complicated one.

One thing that can easily be pointed to is points left off the board. The Titans decided to go for two earlier in the game when they got a penalty that moved the ball to the one-yard line. That decision from head coach Mike Vrabel cost them one point. Of course, that would have brought them to lose by two points instead of three, so there isn’t much difference that would have made in this one.

A few decisions offensively though, mainly by the offensive coordinator of the Titans, Todd Downing, left a lot to be desired. The first mistake some would say is opening the game passing the football. The result of that first play was an interception on the first offensive play of the game. The Titans would end up giving up three points off that turnover. Another key mistake was when the Titans would move the ball into scoring position in the second half of the game. After a big run by D’Onta Foreman, the Titans were right on the doorstep of scoring again when Downing inexplicably decided to throw a screen pass. When that happened, Bengals defensive back Vonn Bell tipped the ball in the air to himself and intercepted the pass, knocking the potential of at least three points off the board. And finally, the Titans had a third and one in the second half on the Bengals side of the field. Instead of lining Derrick Henry up and running the football, Downing decides to run a run-pass option and the defense must have known exactly what was coming because when Tannehill kept the football off that RPO, the Bengals were right there waiting for him, stopping Tannehill for no gain. And on the ensuing play, Downing called a run play where it seemed like it was off from the beginning. The Bengals again knew what was coming and stopped Henry cold in the backfield. Those three series were stunted by the play-calling of a coordinator that seemed to not be able to get in a groove during the game.

The coaches deserve blame for this loss, but if there is one player that deserves some blame for this loss, then it is Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Sure, he made some big plays in this one. The pass to AJ Brown that tied the game at 16 was a great display of passing as he placed it in only a spot Brown could catch it. However, there were a lot of other things that were left to be desired.

The interception that started the game, Tannehill locked in on Julio Jones and neglected to see the Bengals defender right there. The tipped pass happened and was a great individual effort by Bell. But the third interception is something that just simply cannot happen. The Titans were driving to try and win the game and it was third down. Ryan Tannehill dropped back and passed it to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The pass was tipped and intercepted by the Bengals and a couple of plays later, the Bengals were kicking the game-winning field goal. On that play, Tannehill was throwing to a player that was not open. With the game being tied, Tannehill could have just got rid of the football and allowed the Titans to punch, giving the Bengals less than 30 seconds to drive the length of the football field essentially. But no, he decided to force one into a place where the ball had no reason to go, further helping the Bengals win the game.

The Titan’s defense tied a record with nine sacks in a playoff game and kept the Titans in the game for the most part, so you could say they did their job even though they lost. Holding the high-flying Bengals offense to 19 points should mean you win if you are Tennessee. But because of coaching mistakes, a coordinator that seemingly couldn’t find a groove, and a quarterback that didn’t take care of the football, the Titans are going home, as they move to 0-3 in the Divisional Round all-time as a number one seed. And just like that, a season full of possibilities is now over. Now the questions will start to mount as to what’s next for Tennessee.

Mayor Cooper Announces Full Funding for New Traffic Management Center

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Mayor Cooper Announces Full Funding for New Traffic Management Center

NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville will fully fund a new traffic management center with federal dollars, Mayor John Cooper today announced, as the city continues to improve transportation in neighborhoods and reduce drive times along busy corridors.

A $3.65 million grant –  a state award of federal dollars, with no matching local funds required – will fund a technology-driven hub, where the Nashville Department of Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) can better manage traffic signals, gather traffic-flow information, and share updates with drivers in real-time – all to improve safety and reduce congestion.

Since Nashville adopted the Metro Transportation Plan in December 2020, the city has secured eight grant and partnership awards – for a total of nearly $44 million in fewer than two years.

“Today’s achievement affirms our transportation strategy: have an adopted plan, leverage that plan to unlock state and federal funding, and recruit and retain experts who will focus solely on delivering results for residents,” Mayor Cooper said.

“With every step, we take forward on our transportation plan, we must thank residents – nearly three thousand in all – who stepped up and contributed their ideas for it,” the mayor added. “This is an example of city government doing its job: solving problems with practical, achievable strategies and bringing our community together.”

About the Forthcoming Traffic Management Center

At the hub – located at 700 Second Ave. S. – NDOT engineers and technicians will use advanced traffic signal control systems, sensor-based traffic monitoring technologies, and other tools to monitor traffic and better manage congestion.

The center will be a clearinghouse for traffic-flow updates, which NDOT will share in real-time on roadway dynamic message signs, on social media, on nashville.gov, and with partners like the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and other Metro agencies.

“We’re so grateful to TDOT for awarding us the federal CMAQ grant, and we know this new Traffic Management Center is going to transform the way we manage congestion here in Nashville,” said NDOT director Diana Alarcon. “Our department is committed to providing residents with a complete, connected transportation system, and managing traffic is a major component of that.”

About the Grant

TDOT selected Nashville for the grant, which is funded through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program. A funding agreement now heads to Metro Council for approval.

“Nashvillians expect and deserve for their city government to make practical, steady progress on the issues that affect their daily lives,” said Burkley Allen, who serves on Metro Council as a District Council Member At-Large and was an early supporter of the Metro Nashville Transportation Plan.

“Traffic and transportation are at the top of the list of those key issues,” she added. “Today’s step forward for a traffic management center in our city shows what’s possible when we focus on priorities and work together.”

Councilmember Zach Young – who chairs the Council’s transportation and infrastructure committee – experiences Nashville’s pressing transportation needs when he’s on the job as a real estate agent.

“I travel all over Nashville for work– including some of our busiest roads, like Hillsboro, Dickerson, and Gallatin,” he said. “So I can fully appreciate that traffic is back up to pre-pandemic levels. We need to move quickly on projects like the traffic management center to keep Nashville working for our residents and visitors.”

About NDOT and the Metro Transportation Plan

Since the city adopted the Metro Nashville Transportation Plan in December 2020, Nashville launched its first-ever local department of transportation and has secured nearly $44 million for transportation and infrastructure projects in neighborhoods and along major corridors.

The plan – to which nearly 3,000 residents and local organizations contributed, with community feedback and ideas – is the city’s strategy for creating a safe, state-of-the-art, all-modes-of-movement transportation network in Nashville – everything from reducing pedestrian and traffic fatalities to building sidewalks more efficiently, repairing neighborhood streets and better connecting the city’s bikeways and greenways.

New Year, New TSU Lady Tigers

Mike Patton
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New Year, New TSU Lady Tigers

Last season wasn’t exactly the most enjoyable season for the Tennessee State Lady Tigers. The team did not win a conference game and along with dealing with Covid issues and restrictions, things just never seemed to flow in the 2020-2021 season. And going into this season, expectations were the Lady Tigers would be better. Well, in 2021-2022, it seems like things are starting to move in the right direction at a rather fast pace.  The Lady Tigers have started 4-0 in the conference along with winning five straight overall as they are now at a record of 9-6 on the season. Their 4-0 start in the conference is their best conference start since 1993-1994. TSU color analyst Will Brown saw them being better but this certainly caught him off guard.

“I knew they would win some games, but I will be honest. I didn’t see them winning more than 12 games this season. I think you’re getting a team that’s been “battle-tested”. The upper classes group of young ladies came from competitive mid-major conferences and have seen everything. The freshman class is talented, I’ve noticed it takes a freshman a few games to get acclimated to D-1 basketball. Not this team some of these young freshmen act like they’ve been here before. “

With all this early success, one thing head coach Ty Evans cannot explain seems to be one of the keys.

“It’s amazing from the time they stepped foot on campus up until now, they have just been a tight-knit group. It is amazing and a joy for me to coach them. They love each other. When you’re coaching basketball and you have a group that loves each other, that’s worth three to five wins right there and I think that is the key.”

The Lady Tigers are a relatively new team this season, as they only returned two players from last year’s team. Despite that, they play with a togetherness of a team that has known each other for a while, consistently lifting each other up, cheering each other on and being in sync with each other on the offensive and defensive end.

One byproduct of them being in sync with each other is the consistent pressure they bring each and every game. Their pressing and often frenetic style wears on their opponents and as the game goes on, they are able to turn teams over, cause confusion and get steals, which they are number one in the nation at coming up with.

“The thing about the way we play, it wears teams down. You don’t see it in the first quarter. You don’t see it in the second quarter. And I tell our kids all the time and I have been telling them this since the end of June when they got here. By the middle of the third quarter, you’ll start to see a difference. A lot of those shots they were taking are a little short. All of a sudden, now you see who really wants to handle the ball because the pressure is relentless and that’s the way we play.”

Along with the pressing and upbeat style of play, another hallmark of this TSU Lady Tigers team so far has been their resiliency. In each game over their six-game winning streak, the Lady Tigers have been down at halftime in many of these games and in some instances, have been down in the fourth quarter. In each of those games, the Lady Tigers showed grit, heart and determination and adjustments as they continued to wear on each opponent as the game went on.

“After the Tennessee Tech win, I was impressed, but now the last few wins to me occurred because this group eventually figures out the opposing team. TSU is a “second half” team. With the team being that way that shows how well TSU adjusts well that’s when you give credit to coach Ty Evans and his coaching staff.”

The success this team is having is directly tied into their connection to each other, their relentless play and their resilience. As of right now, all of those things have them at the top of the OVC.

Republicans Put Petty Political Power Over Principle

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Republicans Put Petty Political Power Over Principle

NASHVILLE, TN– Nashville Councilmember At Large Sharon Hurt lambasted the Republican plan to force backward-looking, nation dividing Trump minions to represent historically Democratic and forward-looking Nashville in Congress.

Hurt said, “This plan is designed to please a handful of extreme politicians and special interests in Washington DC. It’s good for them, bad for Nashville, disastrous for African-Americans.”

She said, “If you live in East Nashville, you may need to go to Cookeville to see your congressman. Antioch’s congressman lives closer to Chattanooga than Nashville, and North Nashville, which includes Fisk and TSU, will be represented by a Clarksville politician who has embarrassed Republicans and lost a presidential appointment for his hate-filled rhetoric.”

“This is all about petty political power and has zero to do with American Democratic principles. For 140 years, Nashville has had one member of congress. Nashville is the capitol city and one of the economic engines that drives the state, but they want many in our city to get second-class, remote, and out-of-touch representation. Progressives, African Americans, the Nashville business community and so many residents will be big losers.”

Debby Gould, president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Tennessee, told the media her organization heard “very clearly from across the state that people wanted their counties kept whole,” and that the map is an ‘astounding’ move that hurts rural, suburban and urban voters.”

Hurt said, “If the courts don’t throw out this map – so many people will have no one to call, and we will have no one to listen to our concerns, large or small.”

The One Thing Tennessee Has Over the AFC Competition

Mike Patton
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The One Thing Tennessee Has Over the AFC Competition

The Tennessee Titans headed to Houston with one mission in mind this past Sunday: get a win. Tennessee was up 21-0 at halftime and were able to withstand a fight to the finish for a 28-26 win, their twelfth win of the season.  With that win, the Titans took over the top spot in the AFC playoff picture at 12-5, and that allowed them to obtain a first-round bye.

With the road coming through Nashville to go to the Super Bowl, Tennessee has put themselves in the greatest position they could to represent the AFC in the big game this year and with Derrick Henry on the way back, their chances may get even better. But one thing that has developed over this season is their ability to handle adversity.

The Titans haven’t been without an MVP candidate in Henry since Week 9 of the season, have had games where wide receivers Julio Jones and AJ Brown either didn’t finish the games or didn’t play along with having their depth tested at the inside linebacker and cornerback spots all year. Most teams tend to fold or take a dip in their win total when losing that type of offensive firepower along with depth. Instead of folding, the Titans continued to find ways to win and still maintain the top spot in the AFC by limiting mistakes, knowing their assignments, and limiting the big plays to the opponents.

If you look at the majority of the teams in the AFC like the Bills, Patriots, Raiders, Bengals, Chiefs, and Steelers, none of them faced the type of adversity the Titans have when it comes to losing key pieces to their team. The closest team that comes to that is the Steelers when they played without star outside linebacker TJ Watt and we all saw the drop in their defense without him.

In the playoffs, injuries can happen as well as inexplicable things. That’s when the teams that have been tested usually show their ability to face and handle adversity. That might be new to some of the teams in the playoffs, but the Titans are tried and prepared for it. In fact, they relish in it and that should help them with a needed advantage in the playoffs outside of the home field advantage and the return of key players.

Twisted Sistuhs Selected as 2021 Black Influencers of Libations Association of Nashville Award Recipient

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Twisted Sistuhs Selected as 2021 Black Influencers of Libations Association of Nashville Award Recipient

NASHVILLE, Tenn – Twisted Sistuhs, a Nashville-based black, woman and veteran-owned wine company, announced today its selection by the Black Influencers of Libations Association (BILA) as a 2021 Award Winner. Twisted Sistuhs was awarded with the association’s “One Time for the Ladies,” award, honoring women leaders in the beer, wine, and spirits industry.

Twisted Sistuhs’ provide high-quality vegan wine varietals including a Bourbon Barrel Red Wine Blend, a vintage wine aged in bourbon barrels for 3 months with subtle hints of whiskey that awaken all your senses with its luxurious layered complexities which include notes of dark cherry, blackberry, vanilla spices, and cocoa flavors. Their varietals are sourced from a Lodi, California-based winery. Twisted Sistuhs is available at retail locations throughout Middle Tennessee, including the Tennessee Tribune Store located in the Nashville Airport’s South Terminal. An interactive map of all the locations Twisted Sistuhs can be found on the company’s website: twistedsistuhs.com.

“We have felt so welcome here in the Middle Tennessee community as we launched and grew Twisted Sistuhs from the ground up,” said founders Kristi Alderson and Ogechi Anyatonwu. “We want to thank the Black Influencers of Libations Association for honoring our success as Black women entrepreneurs in the wine and spirits industry.”

BILA is dedicated to promoting the impact of Black entrepreneurs and business owners on the Nashville craft beer and spirits community. It was created by Shani Glapion (@theblackbeerexperience), Kramer Deans, (@thebeerdedbrotha) and James Jenkins (@drinkswithjenks). The award recipients are highlighted in a recent Nashville Voice article.

“You earned this award because you deserved to be celebrated for holding it down for the ladies in the beer, wine and spirits industry,” said Justin Singleton, Creator of BrewNCircles & BILA. “We appreciate you for holding it down for the ladies in this industry, so we must salute you!”

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