🌳 NES tree trimming strikes popular park

🗳️ Congressional Chaos

Candidates, both old and new, are experiencing chaos as they navigate Tennessee’s newly drawn congressional districts. On today’s podcast, we’re talking about who’s pulled petitions to run. Plus, we discuss a curious request in the Office of Homeless Services’ budget proposal, and 12 South parking drama. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

• Former Mayor Megan Barry has decided against running for Congress, though she had pulled a petition earlier this week. [Bluesky]

🌳 NES Aggressively Trims Park’s Trees

Nashville Electric Service’s aggressive trimming of a row of towering oak trees in Centennial Park is causing public outcry. NES claims to have discussed the trimming with Metro Parks, but the department says NES failed to inform them. The oak trees were part of a 15-year restoration plan to turn the north side of the park into a grand entrance. [Nashville Banner]

• Next week, Metro Council will consider a resolution requesting a moratorium on NES’ expanded vegetation control for fear of permanently altering the city’s tree canopy. [Nashville Scene]
• Listen to a local naturalist’s advice about restoring Nashville’s tree canopy. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🧑‍⚖️ Metro Legal Director To Retire

Metro Legal director Wally Dietz has announced he will retire in July. His time as head of the city’s legal department has been marked by high-profile litigation against the state and the Trump administration. Mayor Freddie O’Connell has chosen Tyler Yarbro, managing partner of Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, to be Dietz’s successor. [Nashville Banner]

🏫 School Vouchers Benefit Wealthier Families

Despite new income rankings meant to prioritize low-income students, most private school vouchers were awarded to higher-income families. Only 3,970 vouchers went to families in the lowest-income ranking, suggesting few applied or qualified for the program. [Chalkbeat Tennessee]

• State lawmakers recently increased the number of private school vouchers from 20,000 to 35,000. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• Related: According to the annual Education Scorecard, Tennessee public school students are among the top performers in the U.S. for post-pandemic academic recovery. The state ranked second in math improvement and fourth in reading. [WPLN]

Nashville Business Journal recently released a list of Nashville’s most popular tourist attractions. Do you know which attraction took the top spot? Test yourself to find out!

What was Nashville’s most visited tourist attraction in 2025?

Meet Buddy, named after the ‘80s My Buddy toy! Buddy will be seven months old on May 19. He does everything with a bounce in his giddyup. He loves to give kisses, curl up under the blankets with his human, whip around his rope toy, and visit his best dog friend next door, Tex. Buddy can sit, wait, kiss, high-five, lie down, and speak, and is currently working on dancing! His human Bethany says, “This little dude makes me laugh when I don’t feel like it, loves to drive me nuts, is scared of his own shadow, and, well, I just love him!”

Buddy! Such a smart, sweet boy!

If you’d like to share your pet with newsletter readers, email me pictures!