City Cast Nashville
📰 Controversial immigration bill passes
January 31, 2025 · 💌 Margaret Kingsbury
Happy Friday, and final day of January! We’ve had nonstop news this week, and we’re getting into it all on today’s City Cast Nashville podcast.
What's CITY Talking About?
🗞️ Controversial Immigration Bill Passes
A controversial immigration bill was approved by the Tennessee General Assembly during this week’s special session, which wrapped yesterday afternoon. The bill creates an Immigration Enforcement Division, and makes it a felony for public officials to vote for “sanctuary policies.” [NewsChannel 5]
- The ACLU of Tennessee announced they will bring a legal challenge against the felony measure. [Tennessee Lookout]
- The GOP-controlled state legislature also passed Gov. Bill Lee's $447 million publicly funded statewide school voucher expansion program. [Tennessean]
🏛️ Bills, Bills, Bills
Now that the special session is over, the 114th Tennessee General Assembly will be considering hundreds of other bills, from gun reform strategies to free preschool and civil penalties for distributing abortion medication mifepristone. [Nashville Scene]
- Contact your representatives to let them know how you feel about the bills. [Capitol.tn.gov]
🚗 Nissan Downsizes
Nissan is cutting production to a single shift at two of its plants, including the Rogue plant in Smyrna, offering employees voluntary buyouts to reduce its workforce. Nissan employs about 7,000 people in the Nashville area. [🔒 Nashville Business Journal]
📚 Nashville Public Library Considers Ending Director Search
After more than a year of searching for a new executive director, the Nashville Public Library is considering offering the position to Interim Executive Director Terri Luke. [Nashville Banner]
- Related: NPL funding shortfalls lead to a reduction in wellness classes [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
Test Yourself on Nashville Trivia
This week, Dolly Parton announced the world premiere of her musical “Dolly: An Original Musical” at Belmont University before it heads to Broadway in 2026. We’re celebrating with some Dolly-themed trivia!
What famous Nashville stage did Dolly Parton first perform on?
Furball Friday
Meet adorable 5-year-old pug Mr. Ernest D. Pugg, named after late country singer Ernest Tubb! Ernie’s parents tell me he is a happy boy who enjoys going to the dog park daily and playing with his doggie friends! If you see him at the dog park, give him an extra pet from me!
Please send me your pet picks! My coffers are empty 🙏 Just reply to this email!
What To Do
Friday, Jan. 31
- 🤗 Shelby Park Waterways Cleanup | 9-11 a.m. | Volunteer | Shelby Park Event Lawn
- 🧑🌾 Seed Swap Open House | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Free | Warner Park Nature Center
- 🪑 Antiques & Garden Show: ft. Brooke Shields | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | $30+ | Music City Center
- 🎨 Farm to Table: Art, Food, and Identity in the Age of Impressionism | 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. | $20 | Frist Art Museum
- 🍵 Beaman Tea Party | Noon-4 p.m. | Free | Beaman Park Nature Center
- 📀 Penny & Sparrow - Lefty + Wristband | 4 p.m. | $12.99+ | Grimey’s
- 🎥 Lunar New Year Movie: “Kung Fu Panda” | 4-5:30 p.m. | Free | Hermitage Library Branch
- 🗨️ An Evening with Sheree L. Greer and Friends | 6:30 p.m. | Free | Land of Thousand Hills Coffee
- 🎵 Kelsea Ballerini | 7 p.m. | $119+ | Bridgestone Arena
- 🐍 Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake with the Nashville Symphony | 7:30 p.m. | $27+ | Schermerhorn Symphony Center
- 💃 Martha Graham Dance Company | 7:30 p.m. | $72.30+ | TPAC’s James K. Polk Theater
- 📘 Neko Case in conversation with Ann Powers | 8 p.m. | $47.73 | OZ Arts
- 🎶 Mac McAnally | 8 p.m. | $49.50 | Ryman Auditorium
- 🎤 John Mailander's Forecast, Kyle Tuttle Band | 8 p.m. | $15 | Eastside Bowl
Saturday, Feb. 1
- 🥶 Polar Plunge | 9-10:30 a.m. | $20 | Margaret Maddox YMCA
- 🌱 Weed Wrangle | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Volunteer | Beaman Park Nature Center
- 🪑 Antiques & Garden Show | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | $30+ | Music City Center
- 🍨 Ice Cream for Breakfast Day | 10 a.m. | Free | Bells Bend Outdoor Center
- 🎤 615 Indie Live | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. | $15 | Various Nashville Venues
- 🪇 Musical Instrument Petting Zoo | 1-3 p.m. | $29.95 | Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- 🪕 Cozy Jam | 1-3 p.m. | Free | Shelby Bottoms Nature Center
- 🏀 Harlem Globetrotters | 2 & 7 p.m. | $43+ | Bridgestone Arena
- 💃 Martha Graham Dance Company | 2 & 7:30 p.m. | $4.50+ | TPAC’s James K. Polk Theater
- 🎭 “Chicago” | 2 & 7:30 p.m. | $48.30+ | TPAC Andrew Jackson Hall
- 🥂 Bubbles and Bourbon | 6-9 p.m. | $69+ | Marathon Music Works
- ⭐ Winter Star Party | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Free | Warner Park Nature Center
- 🎶 "Elijah Rock! A Jubilee Battle" opens | 7:30 p.m. | $25+ | Nashville Children's Theatre
- 🪩 Latin Heat | 9 p.m.-2 a.m. | $20 | Plaza Mariachi
Sunday, Feb. 2
- 🎨 2025 Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Exhibition | 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | $20+ | Cheekwood
- 🪑 Antiques & Garden Show | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | $30+ | Music City Center
- 🪕 Musician Spotlight: Fats Kaplin | 1 p.m. | $29.95+ | Ford Theater
- 🚗 Blood Transportation Specialist | 1-4 p.m. | Volunteer | American Red Cross
- 🎭 “Chicago” closes | 1 & 6:30 p.m. | $48.30+ | TPAC Andrew Jackson Hall
- 🧘 Let's Meditate with Chakra Shay | 3-3:30 p.m. | Free | Edmonson Pike Library Branch
- 🍗 Hot Chicken Week ends | 5-7 p.m. | $8 | Multiple locations
- 🎤 Toni Romiti | 7 p.m. | $23+ | Cannery Hall
- 🥹 Heartbreak Happy Hour | 7 p.m. | Suggested $10 donation | Jackalope Brewery
- 🎸 Hans Zimmer Live | 7:30 p.m. | $98.40+ | Bridgestone Arena
Last chance to win $250! We’d love to hear from any podcast listeners, whether or not you listen to the City Cast Nashville podcast. Take the survey for a chance to win a $250 Visa gift card.
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