City Cast Nashville
🏥 What Medicaid cuts mean for Nashville
July 21, 2025 · 💌 Margaret Kingsbury
Happy Monday! Local astronaut Barry Wilmore has been named Tennessean of the year! We interviewed the Mt. Juliet High School graduate and his fellow astronaut Suni Williams while they were stuck aboard the International Space Station last year. So cool!
And in more awesome news, last week we launched City Cast Nashville Neighbors, our brand new membership program, and so many of y’all showed your support by becoming members. We’re so grateful for every single one of you, and we can’t wait to share all the perks with our new Neighbors.
If you didn’t get a chance to join, you can become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor right now. We still have a few of those extra special City Cast Nashville totes left to give away to folks who join today 😻
What's CITY Talking About?
🏥 What Medicaid Cuts Mean for Nashville
250,000 Tennesseans are about to lose their health care. Why? On today’s City Cast Nashville podcast, we’re chatting about how cuts to Medicaid in President Trump’s big budget bill will impact our health care with Michele Johnson, executive director of the Tennessee Justice Center. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
🗑️ Updating Nashville’s Rubbish
Nashville’s recently passed budget moves trash services from under the purview of Metro Water Services to the new Department of Waste Services, directed by Tracey Thurman. Thurman plans to increase recycling opportunities, update trash pick-up routes, and reduce landfill waste. [The Tennessean]
- Your guide to recycling in Nashville [📰 Hey Nashville]
🏛️ Congressman Targets Belmont
In a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Congressman Andy Ogles called for an investigation into Belmont University, claiming the university is hiding its diversity, equity, and inclusion program under a new name. In response, the university stated, “As a Christian institution, Belmont believes that every human being is created in the image of God and is worthy of respect.” [WKRN]
- Ogles claims Belmont officials brag about their “scheme” in leaked video footage [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
🐦 Purple Martin Friends Return
Approximately 150,000 to 180,000 migratory purple martins have returned to Nissan Stadium to roost before traveling to South America. The birds will likely stay until late August or early September, and can be seen from the pedestrian bridge near Broadway at sunset. Advocates ask observers to avoid flash photography and loud noises. [Fox 17]
- Learn more about purple martins [📰 Hey Nashville]
What To Do
Monday, July 21
- 👕 Volunteer at ThriftSmart Rivergate, 9 a.m. & 1 p.m.
- 🧑🎨 Acrylic Painting Workshop Series at Frist Art Museum, 10:30 a.m.-Noon (Free)
- 🎥 Family Movie Monday: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish at Edmonson Pike Library Branch, 2-4 p.m. (Free)
- 🎒 School Supplies Prepare and Share at Hermitage Library Branch, 3-4 p.m. (Volunteer)
- 🩸 DVL Training — Stop the Bleed with the Vanderbilt Division of Acute Care Surgery, 5:30-7 p.m. (Free)
- 📖 Silent Book Club at The Malin, 6-8 p.m. (Free)
- 🍽️ No Hate on My Plate at Youth About Business, 6-8 p.m. (Free)
- 📚 Hannah Whitten — “The Nightshade God” — with Jenna Levine at Parnassus Books, 6:30 p.m.
- 😆 New Material Monday at Zanies, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 22
- 🧑🌾 Seasonal Garden Prep at BELL Garden, 8-11 a.m. (Volunteer)
- 🧑🔬 Color Our World with The Science Guys! at North Library Branch, 12:30-1:30 p.m. (Free)
- 🫖 Summer Afternoon Iced Teas at Cheekwood, 3-4:30 p.m.
- 🥕 East Nashville Farmers Market at 5th & Woodland Streets, 3:30-6:30 p.m. (Free entry)
- 🍝 Pasta Making Class x Frankies at Pont Neuf, 6 p.m.
- 🎨 Printmaking Workshop at Kinda Collected, 6-8 p.m.
- 🎤 In This Moment: Hell Hath No Fury Tour at Marathon Music Works, 6:30 p.m.
- 🎵 Coldplay: Music of the Spheres World Tour at Nissan Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
- ⚾ Nashville Sounds vs. Charlotte Knights at First Horizon Park, 6:35 p.m.
- 🪕 Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder at Ryman Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
- 🎶 Pitch Meeting at Analog, 7:30 p.m. (Free)
⭐ My event pick of the week: Drum Corps International’s summer tour at Nissan Stadium is this Friday! I’ve seen a DCI performance at MTSU, and it was epic 🥁
Free · Daily