🫣 Too. Many. Ticks.

🫣 Too. Many. Ticks.

Despite January’s ice storm, Nashville had a mild winter, and we’re experiencing a tick boom. Local emergency rooms have reported a surge in tick patients, some with more severe reactions. If you, like me, have already been picking ticks off you, we’ve got some advice from local naturalist and author Jo Brichetto for you on today’s podcast. [NewsChannel 5; WKRN; 🎧 City Cast Nashville]

• What about tick-borne diseases? Here are the most common tick-borne diseases in Tennessee. While relatively uncommon, you should still call your doctor if you develop a rash, fever, muscle pain, joint swelling, or fatigue within 30 days after a tick bite. And farmers should keep an eye out for a new invasive tick that can be a threat to livestock. [📰 City Cast Nashville; 🔐 The Tennessean]
• What preventative measures can I take? Ticks prefer long grass, meadows, and wooded areas, so make sure to check for ticks ASAP after visiting these places. I like to check before getting in a car (especially the sockline), and immediately change and shower when I get home. You can also treat clothing with products containing 0.5% permethrin. And don’t forget to treat your dogs! [📰 City Cast Nashville]
• What about mosquitoes? More mosquitoes are expected this summer, too. While annoying, treating yards with pesticides can be disastrous for other critters. Instead, Jo created the Mosquito Bucket of Doom as a safe way to eliminate the pests. [📰 City Cast Nashville; 🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🌪️ 2020 Tornado Continues To Impact Businesses

Six years after the March 2020 tornado that tore through East Nashville, businesses are still struggling to recover. Skate shop Asphalt Beach has been hit by high property taxes, while the FLWR Shop reopened in 2024 and is still working to attract customers. High Garden Tea has been unable to reopen a Nashville location due to property costs and is instead planning a Chattanooga-area store. [Nashville Scene]

• You can still purchase High Garden Tea online. [High Garden Tea]

🏛️ Lawmakers Consider Redistricting … Again

Tennessee’s Republican supermajority is considering redrawing the state legislature’s district maps next year to win even more seats. Republicans currently hold 76% of seats in the Tennessee House, and 82% in the Tennessee Senate. “What more do they want?” said state Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville). [🔐 The Tennessean]

• This follows a special session in which Republican state lawmakers redrew Tennessee’s congressional maps to eliminate the state’s only Democratic-held district. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• Tennessee Democrats have dropped one lawsuit against the congressional redistricting, though two other legal challenges remain. [Tennessee Lookout]

👮 Overcrowding at Nashville Jails

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall is threatening to sue Tennessee over a backlog of inmates. Hall says the Tennessee Department of Correction has been ignoring his requests to transfer inmates to state prisons for years, leading to an overcrowding issue that’s costing Nashville millions. [NewsChannel 5]

🤖 Robotics Teams Make It to World Championship

Two robotics teams made up of Nashville students competed in the FIRST Championship against hundreds of other teams from around the world. To get there, team members “fundraised like crazy.” “We’re a tiny Tennessee team that’s going against teams that have $6 million facilities,” explained Shun Ahmed, who mentors the teams. In the end, the teams lost, but they recently celebrated their graduating seniors. Every student in the program has graduated from high school, with 97% pursuing a STEM education. [Nashville Banner]

• Learn more about the teams and how you can support them. [The Pioneers]
• And listen to Shun Ahmed talk about her love for her robotics students. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]