🐻 North Nashville has a bear-y new neighbor

🚣 Rollin’ on the River

With the paddlewheelers of Nashville Riverboats joining the tourist traffic on the Cumberland, City Cast Nashville contributor and paddling enthusiast Margaret Littman joins the podcast to talk about our floating entertainment options, and encourage locals to get back in touch with the river. Plus, tune in for a bonus conversation with Nashville Riverboats owner and captain Troy Manthey! [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🛑 Mayor Backs Data Center Moratorium

Mayor Freddie O’Connell signed an executive order yesterday afternoon backing a temporary data center moratorium. The order instructs Metro departments to support efforts to halt large-scale data center development while reviewing potential impacts, and deliver their findings and recommendations within two months. [NewsChannel 5]

• A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office told City Cast Nashville that this order wouldn’t affect the data center regulation bill currently before Metro Council, and that the study doesn’t need to be complete for that bill to pass. The intention is to use collaboration between departments to strengthen legislation, and to set up an internal system for review and scrutiny.
• Councilmember Rollin Horton explained his bill regulating data centers on yesterday’s podcast. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• Councilmember Courtney Johnston told CCN that she will amend her moratorium legislation to reflect the executive order, specifically by removing language that ends the moratorium once a regulation bill is passed.

🌳 New Memorial Honors Nashville Enslaved

On Saturday, the Nashville City Cemetery Association unveiled a bench honoring the 3,000 enslaved people who were buried there in unmarked graves from 1822 to 1865. Among them are 24 men, women, and children who were purchased by the city of Nashville to build the water infrastructure we still use today. [Nashville Banner]

• City Cast Nashville contributor and local historian Betsy Phillips spoke at the event. Read her remarks here. [Nashville Scene]

🏛️ Substitute Metro Budget Introduced

Metro Council Budget chair Kyontzé Toombs has submitted her substitute budget, which will be considered at tonight’s meeting. It includes an additional $2.1 million for the Eviction Right to Counsel program and adds $1 million to the Barnes Housing Trust Fund, among other items. If council approves, the substitute will replace the mayor’s budget and go into effect July 1. [NewsChannel 5]

• We spoke with CM Toombs last week as she was working to create her substitute. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]