City Cast Nashville
⚡ Should the NES CEO be fired?
February 13, 2026 · 💌 Margaret Kingsbury
Hooray for Friday! I hope y’all have some great weekend plans. Heads up: These three affordable housing waitlists open today, Feb. 17, and Feb. 18 🏘️
What's CITY Talking About
⚡ More NES Criticism
Does the Nashville Electric Service CEO deserve to be fired? On today’s City Cast Nashville podcast, we’re chatting about why some councilmembers think so, what questions were answered at a special-called Metro Council committee meeting Tuesday night, and more news from the week. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
❤️ Love Is in the Air
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow! In celebration, Thursday’s issue of the Nashville Scene explores Music City’s first romance bookstore, shares stories of mixed-status couples, and gives a local sex therapist’s most frequent advice. [Nashville Scene]
- These 200+ love letters found in a Nashville home tell the story of a WWII romance. [AP News]
- Still need to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day date? Here are some ideas. [📰 Hey Nashville]
- And if you missed it yesterday, don’t forget to give our episode on local dating horror stories a listen. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
🧑⚖️ Will Metro Council Be Cut in Half?
On Thursday, the Tennessee Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments for a case that could slash Nashville’s Metro Council from 40 to 20 members. A 2023 state law capped city councils at 20 members, but Nashville challenged it, arguing the law unfairly targets the city and violates the state constitution. [WPLN]
- The Tennessee Supreme Court also began considering a case involving an attempted state takeover of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority. [Nashville Banner]
🏳️🌈 Anti-LGBTQ Bills Advance
A slate of five anti-LGBTQ+ bills has advanced in the Tennessee legislature, with all state Republicans voting in favor of the bills, despite Democratic pushback. The bills would allow organizations to ignore LGBTQ+ marriages, ban state employees from wearing or displaying Pride products, and let small businesses fire employees based on sexual orientation. [Tennessee Lookout]
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Test Yourself on Nashville Trivia
Nashville has become quite the foodie city, with new restaurants coming to town and favorites receiving national attention. But how well do you know Nashville’s restaurant scene? Test yourself to find out.
What was Nashville’s first hot chicken restaurant?
Furball Friday
After running around wildly, 13-year-old Piper decided to take a much-needed rest on the couch. You wouldn’t mind if I joined you, right, Piper?
If you’d like to share your pet with readers, email me a pic!
What To Do
Friday, Feb. 13
- ✏️ Writing in the Wild | Shelby Bottoms Nature Center | 10-11 a.m.
- 🎷 The Puppet Truck Presents: Ellingtown | Bordeaux Library Branch | 4:30-5:15 p.m.
- 🏀 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball Games 9 & 10 | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | 5:30 p.m.
- 🍸 Valentine’s Day Cocktails | Liquor Lab Nashville | 5:30 & 7 p.m.
- 🎀 Nashville Craft Club Galentines Party! | Ladybird Taco East Nashville | 6-8:30 p.m.
- ♥️ Free! Friday the 13th Galentine's Day Party | Acme Feed and Seed | 6-9 p.m.
- 💗 Pitch Your Friend | After Hours Zero-Proof Social Club | 6-11 p.m.
- ⛹️ Belmont Women's Basketball vs. UIC | Curb Event Center | 6:30 p.m.
- 🤩 Winter Jam 2026 | Bridgestone Arena | 7 p.m.
- 👑 Fat Ham (through Feb. 22) | TPAC | 7:30 p.m.
- 🎤 Say She She | 3rd and Lindsley | 8 p.m.
- 🎵 Ruel | Marathon Music Works | 8 p.m.
- 🎤 2nd Annual Galentine's Karaoke | Cross-Eyed Critters | 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14
- 🪑 Fiddlers Antique Show | The Fairgrounds Nashville | 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- 💬 Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture | Tennessee State University | 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- 😆 Gnu Tales: Improvised Fairy Tales for Kids | Third Coast Comedy Club | 10-11 a.m.
- 🧒 Kidsville Family Walk | Centennial Park | 10 a.m.-Noon
- ♥️ Valentine's Clay Workshop | Handmade Studio TN | 10:30 a.m.-Noon
- 🧺 Picnic with the Lovebirds | Fort Negley Visitors Center | Noon-1 p.m.
- 💗 Sweet Megg's Sweetheart Jazz Trio Happy Hour | White Limozeen | 4-7 p.m.
- 🏀 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball Games 11 & 12 | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | 5:30 p.m.
- 🧑🎨 DADA Second Saturday Art Crawl | Downtown | 6-9 p.m.
- 🏅 Nashville Hoops Showdown: Ohio State vs. Virginia | Bridgestone Arena | 7 p.m.
- 😆 Craig Ferguson | Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum | 7:30 p.m.
- 🕺 Sweet Heart Big Band Dance | Shelby Park Community Center | 7-9 p.m.
- 🍸 Galentine’s Love Your Selfie Event | Assembly Food Hall | 7-9 p.m.
- 🖤 Emo Night | Marathon Music Works | 8 p.m.
- 🪩 Fascination Street Goth Prom | Eastside Bowl | 9 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15
- 🏃 Couple Shuffle | Veterans Park | 9 a.m.
- 🤩 Musician Spotlight: Appalachia Featuring Richie Owens and Bob Ocker | Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum | 1-1:45 p.m.
- 👕 Fashion for a Fraction | Factory at Franklin’s Liberty Hall | 1-4 p.m.
- 🎵 Moon Hunter: Wu Fei | Ingram Hall | 2 p.m.
- 🍣 Sushi Making | Aloha Fish Company | 2-4 p.m.
- 🎷 Jazz on the Move: Vinéecia Buchanan Presents Carmen McRae | Frist Art Museum | 3-4 p.m.
- 🏀 Belmont Women's Basketball vs. Valparaiso | Curb Event Center | 4 p.m.
- 😆 Gary Owen | TPAC | 5 & 8 p.m.
- 🧀 Cheese & Chocolate | GREYS Fine Cheeses | 6 p.m.
- 🎤 Valentine's Mixtape with Trey Songz and Ashanti | Bridgestone Arena | 7 p.m.
- 💔 Heartbreak Happy Hour | Jackalope Brewing Co. | 7 p.m.
- 🫦 Rocky Horror Picture Show | Third Coast Comedy Club | 8 p.m.
- 🎸 Reverend Horton Heat | Marathon Music Works | 8 p.m.
🎉 I’ve got an exciting announcement! 🎉
City Cast just dropped a brand new podcast. It’s called Your City Could Be Better — because it could be! Every week, our CEO David Plotz is bringing on different hosts and producers from the 13 City Cast teams to talk about what our cities are doing right and wrong, the weird things they’re trying, and the surprising successes.
We’re talking about everything from dog poop crises to housing solutions; it’s going to be a blast. The first episode is out now on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Give it a listen over the long weekend. We’re off on Presidents’ Day, but we’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday morning.
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