🧑‍🎓 Why has diversity plummeted at Vandy?

🏛️ Gun Safety Bills Face Opposition

Nashville Rep. Shaundelle Brooks’ first legislation proposal is a gun safety bill called Akilah’s Law, named after her son, who died in the 2018 Waffle House shooting. [Nashville Banner]

• Gun reform groups are gearing up for a tough legislation session with stiff opposition from the Republican supermajority. [Nashville Scene]

🧑‍🎓 Diversity Plummets at Vanderbilt University

Since the Supreme Court's 2023 ban on affirmative action, Vanderbilt University has seen a 21% drop in racial diversity among incoming students. Today on the City Cast Nashville podcast, we’re talking with two Vanderbilt students about what this means for the university. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🍞 SNAP Lawsuit

The Contributor, Tennessee Justice Center, and individual Tennesseans are suing the state for mishandling SNAP, our supplemental nutrition assistance program, by failing to provide benefits outlined by federal law. More than 30,000 Tennesseans have filed appeals for their benefits since 2023. [NewsChannel 5]

• How The Contributor supports our homeless neighbors. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🏫 School Voucher Bill Is Back

Last year, Gov. Bill Lee’s private school voucher proposal — the Education Freedom Act — failed, but he hopes the bill will pass this legislative session. Nashville and Memphis have served as pilots for the program, but enrolled students generally perform below their public school counterparts. [Chalkbeat Tennessee]

If you love thrifting, you need to check out Charlotte Avenue, specifically the strip around the Richland Park Library Branch. I used to work in the area, and I still visit often for the great thrift stores and restaurants. It’s one of the few places in Nashville where you can park and walk on sidewalks — yes, sidewalks! — to visit shops. Here’s my guide to thrifting and eating on this section of Charlotte Avenue.

🚗 Where To Park

I always park at Richland Park. It’s free, with plenty of parking. The Richland Park Farmers Market is on Saturdays, and even though it can get busy, I still never have parking issues.

You can also park at the Southern Thrift Store, assuming you’re going to shop there, which I recommend.

☕ First Stop: Coffee

If you blink, you might miss Headquarters, but look again! It’s a tiny but charming coffee shop, perfect for a grab-and-go beverage. They have lots of coffee options, and usually some light snacks, too, including gluten-free muffins. If you’re more of a hot tea drinker, like me, they have a few selections, and right now they’re serving hot chocolate, too!

🛍️ Thrift Stores Galore

• Southern Thrift Store: Browsing in this two-story thrifters paradise is so much fun. They sell everything: Clothes, furniture, board games, books, movies, dishes, and other randomness. Like all thrift stores, some days are better than others. Sometimes I find excellent deals; other days nothing at all. But it’s always my first thrift store stop.
• Rhino’s Booksellers: This is a classic, hole-in-the-wall used bookstore. Meander around the labyrinth of shelves, and don’t forget to pet the cat.
• Cool Stuff Weird Things: This truly is a weird little thrift store, best for knick-knacks, furniture, and oddities. You’ll know it by the Elvis statue by the front door.
• Unique Thrift Store: Much like Southern Thrift, this is a fun stop to find clothes and other fun odds and ends. They can be a bit expensive, but that doesn’t mean you won’t happen upon something special.
• Sanders Furniture: This is not a thrift store, but a locally owned furniture store that has very reasonable prices, and will deliver. Our couch came from here, and we’ve had it for over a decade!
• A little bit West on Charlotte, you’ll find two other stores worth shopping at: The Great Escape (which sells records, books, and other media) and Social Furniture.