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Axios Nashville
How Kamala Harris could impact Nashville transportation vote
Vice President Kamala Harris has already provided a jolt for Democrats in the presidential race, and backers of Nashville's $3.1 billion transportation funding plan are banking on her to do the same here.Why it matters: Voter turnout is always significantly higher for presidential elections compared to other years. That's one reason transportation organizers chose to put the referendum on the ballot this November.The intrigue: The general malaise that plagued Democrats with having President Biden at the top of the ticket has reversed under Harris.According to a recent poll from Monmouth University, 85% of Democratic voters are enthusiastic about the presidential...
Jackson, Tennessee, is a Pringles powerhouse
Mars, the maker of Snickers and M&M's, has agreed to buy the snack maker Kellanova for $35.9 billion.Kellanova, a spinoff from cereal giant Kellogg, includes the brands Cheez-It and Pringles.The intrigue: There is a Tennessee connection to this big business news.Zoom in: Jackson, which is a two-hour drive west on Interstate 40, is home to the production plant that makes Pringles for all of North America.That fun fact comes from our friend and former colleague Tyler Whetstone, an investigative reporter at the Knoxville News Sentinel who previously worked in Jackson.By the numbers: In 2021, the Jackson Sun reported that the plant produces more than 1 billion cans of Pringles per year.In just one hour, the plant can produce a line of crisps that stretches 46 miles long.Go deeper: Read our national story about the merger deal.Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
Nashville transportation plan will fight ballot fatigue
No matter which candidate headlines the top of the ticket, Democrats are fighting against ballot fatigue among presidential-year voters.Between the lines: National data shows that presidential year voters frequently don't scroll down to vote on down-ballot races.What she's saying: "The sporadic presidential voter, which will be high this year, isn't a voter that follows local politics nor may stick around in the voting booth long enough to take a chance on transit," state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat, tells Axios.She says the discrepancy could decrease if Davidson County-elected officials campaign and include information about the transportation referendum in their...
In the Nashville area, new houses are cheaper per square foot than old ones
Data: Zillow; Note: Includes single-family homes, townhomes and condos; Chart: Axios VisualsNew homes in the Nashville area are selling for $7.10 less per square foot than old ones, according to a recent Zillow report.Why it matters: People typically pay a premium for brand-new houses, but in this brutal home market, some are finding deals in new construction.Zoom out: This is part of a national trend. Nationwide, new homes are $3.50 cheaper per square foot.That's the widest gap in at least six years, Zillow reported.Zoom in: The Nashville area is one of 21 major U.S. metros driving that dynamic. Other cities...
Titans quarterback Will Levis and Hellmann's tout "mayonnaise-inspired fragrance"
Rabid mayonnaise enthusiast and Titans starting quarterback Will Levis is partnering with Hellmann's for a mayo-scented fragrance called "Will Levis No. 8."Why it mayos: You may recall Levis loves mayo so much it led to the apparently untrue rumor that he puts the condiment in his coffee.This led Adam and Nate down a rancid rabbit hole to try a mayo-flavored mocha latte at a local coffee shop.Inside the locker room: Levis already scored a lifetime supply of Hellmann's last summer. The "fragrance" is the next step up the mayo ladder.What they're sandwiching: Hellmann's touted Will Levis No. 8 as the...
More than 1 in 10 Tennessee residents under 65 don't have health insurance
Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Note: Estimated from administrative and survey data; Chart: Axios VisualsThe number of Tennesseans under 65 without health insurance has decreased over the last couple of decades, according to new Census Bureau data, but still remains higher than the national average.By the numbers: Around 11.1% of people in the state under the age of 65 were uninsured in 2022 — an improvement from 15.9% in 2006.Nationally, the uninsured rate is around 9.5%.Zoom in: The uninsured rate is higher than the statewide average in some of Tennessee's rural counties. Many of those same communities have grappled with hospital...
Tennessee ranked No. 15 in first AP college football poll
Tennessee is ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press' top-25 preseason college football poll.Why it matters: The poll shows high expectations for the Volunteers, who have turned things around under head coach Josh Heupel.By the numbers: UT finished No. 17 in the final AP poll last season.AP voters are bullish on the SEC. The Volunteers are the seventh-highest-ranked SEC team. Rival Georgia came in at No. 1 in the debut poll.Nine SEC teams are ranked in the top 25.Zoom in: The AP poll puts Tennessee in the mix for the expanded college football playoffs.The new format puts 12 teams in the playoffs compared to just four in previous seasons.What's next: Tennessee opens the season Aug. 31 at home against Chattanooga.Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
Jelly Roll speaks at juvenile justice campus groundbreaking
A new juvenile justice complex is closer to reality following a groundbreaking ceremony last week that included a Nashville celebrity cameo.Zoom in: Country star Jelly Roll has spoken often about his time in Nashville's juvenile detention center — he even wore a jacket featuring an image of the building during this summer's CMA Fest.He was on hand alongside elected officials to celebrate the new facility.What he's saying: "That thing hadn't changed nothing but the paint in 30 years," he said, according to NewsChannel 5. "I personally know: I was there!"Catch up quick: The existing Woodland Street facility has had dire infrastructure problems for years. The new campus will have more room for security improvements and service areas for delinquent youth and families in crisis."A lot of these kids are a victim of their circumstances and where they came from," Jelly Roll said. "This is a really cool chance to change things."Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
TDOT warns about distracted driving
If you're driving while reading this, stop.The Tennessee Department of Transportation is reporting an "alarming increase" in distracted driving statewide.By the numbers: TDOT workers and equipment have been hit by a passing motorist 73 times so far in 2024, the agency said.The bottom line: "Motorists need to follow the law and put down their phones as well as move over and slow down when emergency and roadside workers are present," TDOT commissioner Butch Eley said in a statement.Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
State appeals council lawsuit
The state is still fighting to cut the size of the Metro Council in half.State of play: A three-judge panel tossed out the 2023 state law slashing the council size in a ruling last month, saying it unconstitutionally singled out Nashville's local legislative body. The state announced plans to appeal that decision this week.What they're saying: Nashville Vice Mayor Angie Henderson, who presides over the council, blasted the appeal in a statement."It is my duty and intent to fulfill the will of Nashville voters and help make our 40-member body work well for all 715,000 Nashvillians residing within our city's 526 square miles," she said.Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
Shaticka Robinson emerges as Nashville's new culinary star
The greatest compliment lunch-goers can pay to a food truck is to start lining up before the window slides open.Flashback: At Coley's Jook Junt, one of the city's buzziest food trucks, the line was 15 deep on a Friday last month before they started serving at 11am.A DJ spinning pop and R&B tracks set the mood and drowned out the growling stomachs of Coley's hungry fans.Why it matters: The reason for the hype is Coley's owner/chef/pitmaster Shaticka Robinson, who has all the makings of Nashville's next culinary star.The big picture: Robinson won the most recent season of Netflix's popular food...
Shaticka Robinson emerges as Nashville's new culinary star
The greatest compliment lunch-goers can pay to a food truck is to start lining up before the window slides open.Flashback: At Coley's Jook Junt, one of the city's buzziest food trucks, the line was 15 deep on a Friday last month before they started serving at 11am.A DJ spinning pop and R&B tracks set the mood and drowned out the growling stomachs of Coley's hungry fans.Why it matters: The reason for the hype is Coley's owner/chef/pitmaster Shaticka Robinson, who has all the makings of Nashville's next culinary star.The big picture: Robinson won the most recent season of Netflix's popular food...
Vandy's Lily Williams wins gold in cycling
Vanderbilt University alum Lily Williams earned an Olympic gold medal Wednesday in the women's cycling team pursuit.Why it matters: Williams is Vanderbilt's first female Olympian. She won a bronze medal in team pursuit at the Tokyo Olympics.At Vanderbilt, Williams was a member of the track and cross-country teams.The intrigue: The U.S. team defeated New Zealand to win the gold. Earlier in the week, Williams and her teammates finished behind New Zealand in an earlier race.Team pursuit is a frantic, thrilling event in which competing teams fly around an indoor track at about 40 miles per hour.Fun fact: Williams was previously a news intern for Nashville's public radio station WPLN.Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
Many Nashville residents live in heat islands
Data: Climate Central; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosTemperatures have reached triple digits in Nashville this summer, but across the city, it felt even hotter.Why it matters: Urban heat islands — urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures due to less greenery and more infrastructure like roads, buildings and parking lots — significantly harshen the impacts of extreme weather.The science nonprofit Climate Central analyzed UHIs in 65 major U.S. cities with 50 million residents.In those cities, nearly 34 million people live in environments where UHIs could raise average temperatures by at least 8°F.Zoom in: 71% of Nashville residents live in neighborhoods that are considered...
Tennessee Titans report PSL sales going well
The most expensive personal seat licenses for season tickets at the new Titans stadium are selling ahead of schedule, according to an update from the team this week.Why it matters: The sale of PSLs is vital to the Titans because the revenue generated helps pay for construction of the new $2.1 billion Nissan Stadium.Driving the news: The most expensive PSLs cost between $20,000 and $75,000 per seat, according to the Titans.The first wave covered premier club seats near midfield, with perks like game-day food and alcohol included with each ticket. A PSL guarantees fans the same seats for 30 years at the new stadium.The team didn't expect to open up the second set of PSL sales until next year. Because the first wave sold so well, the Titans plan to open up the next batch this fall, said a team spokesperson.Between the lines: The second wave of PSLs is for seats in the lower bowl, second level and midfield seats in the terrace level.Sign up for Axios Nashville for free.
Meharry receives $175M donation, part of push to support historically Black medical schools
Meharry Medical College received a historic $175 million donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies on Tuesday that will almost double the size of its endowment.Why it matters: The massive surge of cash, which is by far the largest donation in Meharry's 148-year history, strengthens the historically Black institution's financial footing and could help fund scholarships, infrastructure work and academic programming for years to come.By the numbers: Before the Bloomberg donation, Meharry's endowment sat at $193 million.Zoom out: Meharry's mission is to increase the number of health care providers in poor and underserved communities. Meharry president James Hildreth tells Axios the new influx...
Metro Council preview: debating charter amendments
A series of proposed charter amendments are on the Metro Council's agenda for Tuesday, including one that would allow teenagers to serve as council members.Why it matters: The council decides which, if any, proposed amendments should go to the voters for approval.State of play: Last month, the Charter Revision Commission recommended approval of the amendment to lower the age requirement for Metro Council members from 25 to 18.The commission also recommended approval for an amendment to establish a succession plan for the city's finance director.Zoom in: The commission didn't review a proposed amendment to remove the U.S. citizenship requirement for...
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