A Tennessee bill would allow the death penalty for women who get an abortion. It's yet to be voted on, but is being backed by several Tennessee GOP lawmakers, including one in the running for governor.
More from @vivianejones.bsky.social here. ⤵️
Really incredible and important work by Sarah Grace and the Nashville Banner team here.
Severe Weather Awareness Week kicked off yesterday for Tennessee. Now is the time to start preparing, as severe weather season typically peaks from March-May here. Learn more and find resources here. ⤵️
#SWAW2026
I took off my "children's reporter" hat for a bit to hear from weather experts on what made the Nashville winter storm so devastating. The effects will be felt well into the spring, with weakened trees posing a risk as severe weather season nears.
I got to write a story with a much-needed happy ending about a very special (and tough) mule named Earl.
(Spoiler: He's okay! And getting all the treats he wants.)
As Middle Tennessee districts burn through snow days after a catastrophic winter storm, I took a look at look at what happens if they run out of them.
So many local restaurants and organizations have come together to feed and support Nashville residents in the wake of this terrible winter storm. I dropped by to see the Prince's Hot Chicken crew in action yesterday in Germantown.
The threat of power outages as freezing rain and ice move in to Middle Tennessee is likely front-of-mind for many.
This story has a ton of tips (with a big assist from my colleague Gabrielle) on how to stay warm if the power goes out.
Happy Saturday from the Tennessean breaking news desk (AKA my apartment). @ahornbostel.bsky.social and I will be holding down the fort today as a winter storm moves through Nashville. We'll keep live updates rolling all day here. ⤵️
It's been a year since a deadly shooting at Antioch High School in Nashville — the city's second school shooting in as many years. I caught up with two therapists who have worked with mass violence victims to get their advice on how people can cope, help and heal.
As the Tennessee Department of Children's Services grapples with a shortage of transitional and foster homes, the number of kids sleeping in DCS offices has skyrocketed. I looked into what's driving the spike at the highly-scrutinized department.
www.tennessean.com/story/news/e...
Know a Tennessee kid who's up to something neat, whether big or small? I want to hear about it. Maybe they're super into a hobby. Maybe they started a small business. Maybe they showed someone an act of kindness. Maybe they're dreaming big about the future. Reply here or DM me!
Know a Tennessee kid who's up to something neat, whether big or small? I want to hear about it. Maybe they're super into a hobby. Maybe they started a small business. Maybe they showed someone an act of kindness. Maybe they're dreaming big about the future. Reply here or DM me!
We need your help to see the full picture of how the dismantling of the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights is affecting students, parents, school employees and their wider communities.
Here's how to reach out:
Follow the link below to find all four parts of Class Disrupted. It covers everything from book bans to school shootings. This project for The Tennessean has been transformative for me in many ways. I look forward to continuing this work into 2026 and beyond.
(4/4)
A through-line of my project has been giving kids a voice in conversations dominated by adults. Six Tennessee kids shared their harrowing tales from the 2020 tornadoes, the Waverly flood and the remains of Hurricane Helene. Here are their stories.
(3/4)
What happens when disasters uproot the lives of kids, level schools and disrupt entire communities? For many, losing a sense of place has been the hardest part. I spent weeks listening to stories of survival, struggle and recovery to learn more.
(2/4)
12-year-old Brenton and his mom, Kelsey, stand in front of two stones etched with the names of 20 victims of the 2021 extreme flash flood in Waverly, Tennessee.
The final installment of my yearlong Class Disrupted project just published. This one is especially close to my heart. It tells the stories of kids and schools devastated by disasters and what it takes to recover.
Here's a recap of part 4 and the project as a whole. ⤵️
(1/4)
📸: Mark Zaleski
A few weeks ago I had the honor of sitting down with staff and students at B.E. Academy for Girls. The private, nonprofit Nashville school is up for the prestigious $1 million Yass Prize.
Read more about the school's vision and see it all in action here. ⤵️
A five-year-old boy with autism is facing assault charges after outbursts at his school. Here's what @evanmealins.bsky.social and I learned after digging into records, hearing from the boy's parents and getting perspective from police and an expert.
www.tennessean.com/story/news/e...
Four Fayette County Public Schools employees filed a lawsuit on Oct. 23 against the district’s school board, alleging a pattern of racial discrimination and retaliation against Black staffers.
The next day, the district’s superintendent fired one of them. From cstephenson@bsky.social.
My Saturday shift just so happened to land in the middle of College GameDay here in Nashville. I got to meet Tyler, the Vanderbilt sophomore who nailed a 33-yard kick (wearing socks!) and won $500K.
Some good news: Nashville is set to open a 24-7 emergency mental health facility that will be available free of charge to children ages 4-17.
I am delighted to celebrate this gem of a human being. She deserves every last one of her flowers, literally and figuratively. We love you, Miss Bev!
A lot of information about who's benefitting from Tennessee's new school voucher law isn't available, but @rachelannwegner.bsky.social has found many of the participating schools are religious and concentrated in populous counties: www.tennessean.com/story/news/e...
Nashville middle schoolers will soon walk through weapon detection scanners on their way into school. The move follows a rollout of scanners in district high schools after the deadly Antioch High shooting earlier this year.
Yesterday, a group wielding MAGA hats and signs that said things like "DEI should be illegal" was removed from campus at Tennessee State University, an HBCU in Nashville. The group appears to be inspired by Charlie Kirk.
Here's my story on what we know.
Dwayne Tucker was named as permanent president at Tennessee State University last month. He's taking the helm of the HBCU after years of leadership and financial upheaval. We sat down to talk about his story and his vision for TSU — and the sense of purpose that drew him back to his alma mater.
Pretty proud of this cross-newsroom collaborative reporting from: Kelly Puente on records of THP's immigration sweep on May 3-4, @angelelatham.bsky.social on the lack of transparency from THP, and myself, who built a map of the traffic stops + census demographics. www.tennessean.com/story/news/i...
