PRESENTED BY
Good morning, Nashville! It’s Thursday, October 8. Local news typically slows down significantly when school is out, so I’m taking some time off with Metro Schools starting fall break tomorrow. I’ll be back in your inbox when class returns on Monday, October 19.
New in Nashville’s neighborhoods: neighborhoods with a rise in home break-ins, adjusting the traffic plan for The Truth, Nashville’s first Swig soda shop, pushback against new flight paths, a fight over how tall is too tall for new development, and more.
☀️ Weather
Enjoy the sunshine before wind and rain from a tropical system arrive this weekend. High: 86, Low: 57.
PRESENTED BY MEMBERS HEALTH CO
Membership designed for your health
You rarely see this on Google reviews: Members Health Co has all five-star ratings for its all-in-one health membership, including this review:
“What used to be a massive insurance headache is now a fair monthly payment for all of the same services that used to cost me thousands with insurance. I’ll never go back to a traditional doctor’s office.”
Click here to see what’s included with memberships at Members Health Co, and click here for a complimentary consultation.
🏠 What’s new in Nashville’s neighborhoods
Donelson & Hermitage
Home break-ins rising: I’ve been keeping an eye on this trend for a few weeks, and it’s continuing to rise. Residential burglaries in the Metro Police Department’s Hermitage precinct (map here) have increased 26.8% since last year, according to police data. So far this year, the precinct has 123 cases. At the same point last year, it had 97. Overall residential burglaries in Nashville are down about 3%, but they’re also rising in the following precincts: South, Central, Madison, and Midtown Hills. You can map crime in your neighborhood at this link. More: proposed restrictions for home solicitors that tie into burglar concerns.
Wedgewood-Houston
Adjusting traffic plan for The Truth: Let’s start with good news. The new Truth music venue is bringing thousands of new potential customers to surrounding businesses. A challenge with that many people: the traffic. Now that the venue has hosted a few shows, I checked with Metro Council member Terry Vo on any changes in the works. She tells me the rideshare location will be relocated. She’s also coordinating with other agencies on park and ride options, along with WeGo bus frequency. Other concerns she says she’s working on: sidewalk access as people line up for shows and lighting in the neighborhood. You can read her full message here.
Bellevue
Nashville’s first Swig: The soda shop opened yesterday at 7661 Highway 70 South, a Swig spokesperson confirmed to me. It’ll have a grand opening later this month. Here’s a link to Swig’s menu.
Downtown Nashville
Restaurant scores a 63: An inspector who visited “Zaytinya and Employee Cafeteria” at the W Hotel flagged “an excessive amount of critical violations.” The report notes “several employees bare handing ready to eat vegetables on the cook line” along with issues with date marks on food. You can read the full inspection here. I link to all restaurant inspections at the end of the newsletter.
Tesla Cybercab: The first time I heard about Tesla’s Cybercab in our area was this WKRN report in August. They found 15 of the cars — similar to a Waymo autonomous car except Tesla’s website says it doesn’t have a steering wheel or pedals — in a parking lot in Cool Springs. My partner spotted a gold Cybercab driving on Broadway near 8th Avenue this week, but it wasn’t clear if anyone was inside. Several other people have posted about seeing them around town recently. I haven’t seen any media outlets confirm why the cars are here, and the company hasn’t responded to me or them. Tesla hasn’t announced service in Nashville. Its Robotaxi service operates in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.
South Nashville
More pushback against new flight paths: About 350 flights depart Nashville International Airport each day, according to a group called Course Correct Nashville, and more than 150 of the flights “are now being funneled over one narrow corridor” in South Nashville. The group sued last month over the FAA’s process to finalize new flight paths. Now, the Metro Council is considering whether to ask Nashville’s airport board to collaborate with the FAA to “review the effects of flight patterns on affected neighborhoods.” It deferred a vote this week, but a proposed amendment to the request said state and local elected officials have been told that the new flight paths are final. You can read Course Correct Nashville’s list of how you can help at this link.
West End
Limiting building height on West End Avenue: A lawsuit over a proposed four-story building at 3819 West End Avenue could have impacts beyond that single project. The Whitland Area Neighborhood Association argues the state legislature illegally lifted a three-story height limit on buildings along West End Avenue from Elmington Avenue to Ensworth Avenue in 1987. The lawsuit asks a judge to reinstate the height cap, which could impact future projects beyond just this one. You can read the full lawsuit here.
East Nashville
New businesses: HOTWORX, a “24 hour infrared fitness studio,” plans to open at 1411 Gallatin Avenue, according to a building permit application. It already has three other locations in Nashville. Also, Cedar Hill Apothecary plans to open a store at 2213 Riverside Drive with handmade herbal products, locally curated small-batch goods and tea service, a permit application says. It’s already open in Springfield. You can see the store’s offerings here.
Dickerson Pike corridor’s transformation: Plans for a “boutique theater” at 1010 Whites Creek Pike are moving forward, based on a building permit application. Multiple outlets reported in January that the men behind Rudy’s Jazz Room in The Gulch planned to open The Amber Cat at this location. Also, developers got a $10 million permit to build part of The Pike project at 1411 Dickerson Pike. It’s a five-story mixed-use building with 90 apartments and some retail space. Here are some renderings of what’s in store. Plus, developers filed to tear down the Church’s Chicken location at 3127 Dickerson Pike. I reached out to the restaurant about plans for the property.
Belle Meade
Blasting timeline: Blasting for the new Cheekwood parking garage is on track to be finished by the end of this month, Metro Council member Sandy Ewing said in her newsletter. More: neighbors upset about Cheekwood’s expansions over decades sue for damages.
Antioch
Guiding growth: Want to help guide future growth around Couchville Pike at Bell Road? Metro Council member Russ Bradford will hold a community meeting tonight on the Couchville Pike Small Area Study. It’s at 6 p.m. at the Smith Springs Community Center. More in Bradford’s newsletter.
📰 A few final headlines…
Interstate closure: The first round of closures tied to bridge repairs on I-65 just south of downtown Nashville begins tonight. Intermittent lane closures on I-65 South around Hamilton Avenue begin at 8 p.m. I-65 South will close for about half an hour around midnight to remove signage, TDOT said. It expects interstate traffic to be back to normal by 5 a.m. The full interstate in that area will be closed starting the night of Friday, October 16 until the following Monday morning. More info from TDOT here.
Failed execution: A Nashville judge ordered the state to preserve evidence tied to the failed execution of convicted killer Christa Pike, the AP reported. Her attorney said her first words after waking up were “Where am I?”
Regulating food trucks: A new permitting system for food trucks in Nashville is in the works. “There are a number of areas downtown that have popped up these little food truck vendor things that have become safety issues. There’s food safety issues. There’s French fries being stored on the ground, etcetera,” the sponsor of the legislation Metro Council member Jacob Kupin said. The exact language is still being finalized. I’ll keep following this.
Water pressure: After Metro Water asked customers to change their irrigation schedules to help with water pressure, it followed up with this visual explanation of the strain on the system from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. and how making a change will help fellow Nashvillians.
Sheriff retiring: After serving as Davidson County’s sheriff for 24 years, Sheriff Daron Hall said he’ll retire from public service on October 19 for a job in the private sector. Here’s the announcement.
Poll results: I asked nash.news readers whether they could afford their home if they had to buy it today. 83% of respondents said no. 17% said yes.
🍔 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. I’m heading to East Tennessee, then New York for fall break. I’ll be back in your inbox on the 19th. —Ryan