PRESENTED BY
Good morning, Nashville! It’s Monday, October 5. New in Nashville’s neighborhoods: the updated cost of “No Right on Red,” repairs after police say a semi-truck driver intentionally drove into a grocery store, a stolen vehicle warning, more than $1 million in improvements at a park, and a 61 restaurant score.
☀️ Weather
Sunny this week with heat building to near 90 again. High: 80, Low: 51.
🚓 Grand jury: some traffic stops “appeared pretextual”
Four times a year, Davidson County’s grand jury releases a report summarizing its work. I always read it because the grand jurors have rare insight into Nashville’s criminal justice system after reviewing hundreds of cases.
In its latest report, the grand jury wrote that it “encountered [traffic] stops in which a minor traffic or equipment violation appeared to serve as the legal basis for investigating unrelated suspected conduct.” It also wrote, “a window-tint or other minor equipment violation became the entry point for a stop, search, arrest, and charges unrelated to the original traffic safety concern.”
If you’ve been reading nash.news for a while, you know Metro Police data says nearly every type of crime is down by double-digit percentages compared to last year, and traffic stops have surged nearly 28% in the same period. I also covered the top times and places for traffic stops.
After reading the grand jury’s report, I checked a police dashboard that shares traffic stop data. For this year, it says 72% of stops were for a “moving traffic violation.” Another 13% of stops were for either a “vehicle equipment violation” or “safety & equip.” Drivers stopped for a “vehicle equipment violation” were searched and arrested at rates a few percentage points higher than the average of all traffic stops.
The grand jury offered this recommendation to police: “review and publicly report aggregate data on equipment-based traffic stops, including the stated reason for the stop, demographic information, whether a search occurred, whether contraband was found, whether an arrest followed, and the final disposition of resulting charges. The review should examine whether enforcement is connected to roadway safety and whether discretionary practices create avoidable disparities.”
“We do not know which specific criminal case(s) the report is referencing,” a spokesperson for Metro Police told me. “It appears no one in police leadership (from the precinct or administrative levels) was asked to meet with this panel to answer questions or add context. Most grand juries request a meeting with Chief Drake. This one did not.” You can read the police department’s full statement here.
PRESENTED BY MEMBERS HEALTH CO
Can you text your doctor?
I thought I might have been bitten by a tick after hiking, so I texted my doctor at Members Health Co. I knew to take ticks seriously after my mom got sick with Lyme disease. After a few texts, the doctor called in a prescription. It’s a benefit for members at Members Health Co.
Click here to see if an all-in-one health membership makes sense for you.
🏠 What’s new in Nashville’s neighborhoods
Downtown (and nearby)
The (updated) cost of “No Right on Red”: Now that a Metro Council bill to ban right turns at red lights has been scaled back from much of Nashville to 59 intersections, the cost has also dropped. Static and electric “No Right Turn on Red” signage would cost $650,000, according to a Metro analysis. The legislation is scheduled tomorrow for the second of three votes needed to become law. More: my map showing which intersections are impacted. Most of them are downtown, but South Nashville, West Nashville, and East Nashville are also impacted.
East Nashville
Repairing ALDI: After Metro Police said a man intentionally drove a semi-truck into the ALDI store at 615 Gallatin Avenue, the store has applied to fix the damage, including repairs to the bricks, roof, storefront glass, and doors. Suspect Kristofer Scruggs remains in jail with a $35,000 bond on a felony vandalism charge, according to jail records. While the permit doesn’t say how much repairs will cost, the criminal charge indicates the damage is worth at least a quarter-million dollars. As for the punishment, the suspect could spend 15 to 60 years in prison if he’s convicted.
South Nashville
61 restaurant score: This is for the Taqueria El Millon food truck based at 14910 Old Hickory Boulevard. Among other things, the inspector noted “significant number of flies and ants,” a temperature issue with cheese dip, and a “container of raw shrimp … stored on top of/inside container of cooked chicken in prep cooler.” Here’s a link to the full inspection. And as always, I link to all restaurant inspections at the bottom of the newsletter.
Bellevue
Improvements at Warner Parks: Friends of Warner Parks plans to fund $1.5 million in upgrades, including renovations to four picnic shelters and construction of a “historic shelter” at Luke Lea Heights, according to an agenda for Metro’s Board of Parks and Recreation. If you’re interested in supporting the parks, preorders have opened for a new Warner Parks specialty license plate.
The Nations
New childcare center: Nashville has a shortage of about 3,500 licensed or regulated childcare seats, according to a state report, so this story is welcome news. Equally Created Day Care Center just received a building permit to open at the new Modera Nations apartment building at 1701 54th Avenue North. It’s designed for 78 children, according to the permit. The center’s website says it’s expected to open late this year, and it already has a waitlist application open.
Vacant home warning: Metro Codes told the owner of an apparently vacant home at 522 Foundry Drive to clean up junk on the property, cut the grass, and board it up or secure it some other way. The inspector is scheduled to check on the property again at the end of the month. The property is registered to an LLC that bought it in August for $325,000.
Green Hills
New restaurant: It’s in that massive new development at 2111 Crestmoor Road across from the Mall at Green Hills. A new building permit describes a nearly 6,000-square-foot restaurant with seating for about 180 people and a full-service bar. It doesn’t list the restaurant’s name, so I reached out to a contact on the application for more information. I’ll let you know if I hear back. The developer’s website says the building will also have 98 “luxury residences.” And I previously reported that E+ROSE is opening a cafe here.
Near 12 South
Stolen vehicles: Belmont University shared an alert on Friday about two vehicles stolen and another vehicle broken into within two days at the school’s Curb Garage. “One vehicle reported a stolen firearm. No signs of force were found in any of the incidents,” the university’s alert said. I checked on auto theft trends, and this year’s numbers are down more than 30% countywide compared to last year at this point. However, if you zoom into trends over the past four months, auto thefts have increased by several cases in the Midtown Hills precinct, which covers Belmont. Same story in the West and Southeast precincts. You can map crime in your neighborhood at this link.
Madison
New takeout restaurant: Buffalo Wild Wings’ takeout/delivery concept is expanding again in Nashville. It plans to open in the Kroger shopping center at 138 Gallatin Pike South, according to a new building permit. Here’s its menu. I reported last month that the restaurant is also expanding to 6688 Nolensville Pike near Lenox Village and Cane Ridge.
More housing: I feel like I report on a new housing development here at least every week, and here’s another one. Developers just submitted final plans to Metro for 28 “multi-family units” on Shannon Avenue near Pierce Road.
Antioch
Mobile health clinic: The latest stop for the Metro Health Department’s mobile health clinic is the Consulate of Guatemala at 1645 Murfreesboro Pike. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. This page explains the services available. Some require an appointment.
📰 A few final headlines…
Oracle to the rescue: Just a few days ago, the Nashville Symphony announced it would cancel its season and furlough many of its employees because of a financial crisis. Not anymore. Oracle announced last night “it is investing $10 million and creating a strategic partnership to help sustain the Nashville Symphony and keep the music playing as the organization restructures.” You can read Oracle’s full announcement here. And the symphony’s message here.
Imposter scam warning: I cover this because people of all ages fall for it. So far this year, Tennesseans have lost more than $8.5 million to scammers posing as the government, according to the FTC. It’s the most common scam in the state for all age groups except for children. The latest case: scammers posing as the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. They ask for payments via cryptocurrency, gift cards, and mobile apps. The sheriff’s office said it will never ask for money over the phone.
Getting rid of lithium-ion batteries: I hadn’t really thought about this, and people like me are why the Nashville Fire Department is using Fire Prevention Week to educate us on how to properly get rid of lithium-ion batteries. “Lithium-ion batteries pose a serious fire risk when they are placed in curbside carts,” said Nashville Department of Waste Services Director Tracey Thurman. They can catch fire if they’re crushed, punctured, or overheated. In Nashville, two convenience centers accept lithium-ion batteries: Ezell Pike Convenience Center (3254 Ezell Pike) and East Convenience Center (943 Dr. Richard G. Adams Dr.). More tips on battery safety here.
Register to vote: Today’s the voter registration deadline for the November election. This website explains how to register.
9-1-1 Nashville: I just saw the show shooting in downtown Nashville a few weekends ago, and now we have a trailer for season two of 9-1-1 Nashville. One of the latest imaginary tragedies appears to include murder hornets. (The first season lost me with the kite carrying away a child and nearly kept me with the wild pedal tavern crash.) The new season premieres on ABC/WKRN on October 15. It also streams on Hulu.
🍔 MAP: click here for restaurant inspections across Nashville. And here’s a list version.
Correction, feedback, question? Just reply to this email or email me directly at ryan@nash.news. Talk to you tomorrow! —Ryan