🧑‍⚖️ Court rules Metro Council can be cut in half

⛺ Old Tent City Closes

On Monday, Metro officially closed the Old Tent City encampment, where more than 100 unhoused people and pets lived. Some residents had yet to find alternative housing, and learned about the closure from Metro police and city employees touring the facility. [Nashville Scene]

• Metro’s Office of Homeless Services is being criticized for failure to follow its “Housing First” strategy, poor communication, and a lack of transparency. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

💸 The “Cutthroat” Nashville Figure Behind DOGE Cuts

Brad Smith, a Nashville local who has made a career of founding and then selling health care startups, has been a leading figure within the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, helping to carry out $67 billion in cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. [🔒 STAT]

🧑‍⚖️ Court Rules Metro Council Can Be Cut in Half

A split Tennessee Court of Appeals panel has ruled in favor of a state law that would cap Metro Council at 20 members, cutting it in half. A court previously ruled the 2023 law was unconstitutional. Metro is likely to appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court. [Nashville Banner]

🚸 Keeping Kids Entertained This Summer

Are you scrambling for ideas about how to keep your kids entertained this summer? Yours truly is on the City Cast Nashville podcast today, chatting about my favorite kid-friendly summer activities in Nashville. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

• Need summer food assistance? The Metropolitan Action Commission is distributing 200,000 meals this summer to kids who rely on subsidized meals during the school year. [NewsChannel 5]

If you’re looking for a fun day or weekend trip from Nashville, Chattanooga always delivers. Among my favorite places to go is the Tennessee Aquarium, one of the world’s largest freshwater aquariums. Not only is the aquarium home to tens of thousands of critters, but scientists conduct research there to better understand aquatic creatures and how to protect their ecosystems. Here’s your guide to visiting.

🎟️ The Details

• Cost: $39.95 for adults, $29.95 for kids 5-17
• Hours: Open every day of the week from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and open 9 a.m. on Saturdays. Their last tickets are at 5 p.m. Chattanooga is in the Eastern Time Zone, which is an hour ahead of us.
• Parking: The aquarium’s parking garage costs $9-$14. Metered street parking is cheaper!

🚗 The Drive

The drive takes a little over two hours, which is pretty easy to do without stops. If you do want to stop along the way, you could take a selfie by the world’s largest cedar bucket in Murfreesboro’s Cannonsburgh Village, make a scenic pit stop at the Tennessee Welcome Center by Nickajack Lake, or tour the Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.

🐟 Exploring the Aquarium

The Tennessee Aquarium is spread out between two buildings — River Journey and Ocean Journey. You can start with either building. I personally like to begin with ocean and end with river, because the gift shop is in the river building, but it doesn’t actually matter. It takes 2-4 hours to explore the entire aquarium.

In the Ocean Journey building, flee from sharks, chill in the tropical cove and butterfly garden, watch silly penguins play and scramble for yum-yums, and be awed by a room full of jellyfish.

In River Journey, say hi to otters and trout in the Appalachian Cove Forest exhibit, see surprisingly gigantic catfish, and meet critically endangered species like the Chinese three-striped box turtle, spiny turtle, and Denison barb.