East Tennessee City Approves Temporary Ban on Data Centers

by Zachery Schmidt | Aug 27, 2026 | News, Policy, Tennessee, The South

A small East Tennessee city implemented a temporary moratorium on new data center development. The Loudon City Council passed a resolution this week to approve a 12-month ban on data centers by a 3-2 vote. Loudon is a city of around 7,000 residents, located nearly 40...

Another Tennessee City Moves Closer to Temporarily Banning Data Centers

by Zachery Schmidt | Aug 25, 2026 | News, Policy, Tennessee, The South

A Middle Tennessee city is considering implementing a temporary moratorium on new data center development. On Monday, the Gallatin Municipal Planning Commission recommended the city council implement a 12-month moratorium on new data centers. The recommendation comes...

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Endorses State Senator Mark Pody for Reelection

by Kaitlin Housler | Jul 7, 2026 | Elections, News, Tennessee, The South

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry endorsed Tennessee State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) in his reelection bid for State Senate District 17. Pody’s endorsement was included in the Tennessee Chamber’s first round of legislative endorsements for...

Metro Planning Commission Pushes Off Data Center Zoning Regulations into the Future

by Zachery Schmidt | Jun 12, 2026 | News, Policy, Tennessee, The South

The Metropolitan Planning Commission decided to put off a decision on regulating data centers in Davidson County. The planning commission will consider a proposed ordinance on June 25th that will provide a “comprehensive regulatory framework for data centers.” The...

ICE Arrests Honduran National Following Release from Prison for 2022 Nashville Deadly Wrong-Way Crash

by Kaitlin Housler | May 27, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The South

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have arrested a Honduran national convicted in a 2022 deadly wrong-way crash that killed a Nashville musician following his recent release from state prison in West Tennessee, the agency announced Wednesday. ICE...

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to Run for Reelection

by Kaitlin Housler | May 5, 2026 | Elections, News, Tennessee, The South

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell confirmed this week to multiple outlets that he will seek reelection in 2027 to “strengthen the foundation” of his administration’s policies. O’Connell, elected in 2023, said his decision to run again is driven largely by...

Davidson and Rutherford Counties See Largest Population Increase in Tennessee

by Zachery Schmidt | Mar 31, 2026 | Economy, News, Tennessee, The South

Davidson County saw its population increase the most of any county in Tennessee last year, according to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK)’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research. Tennessee’s second most populous county gained 9,281 residents from...

‘Incredibly Expensive’: Popular Nashville Restaurant Featured on Netflix Show Closing Due to Property Tax Spike

by Kaitlin Housler | Mar 12, 2026 | Economy, News, Tennessee, The South

Pelican & Pig, a Nashville restaurant featured on the hit Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil, announced Tuesday it will be closing its doors after seven years in Music City after the business saw a sharp increase in its property taxes. The restaurant said its final...

Starbucks Expanding to Tennessee as Seattle Mayor Tells Residents Not to Buy the Coffee

by Kaitlin Housler | Mar 5, 2026 | Economy, News, Tennessee, The South

Starbucks announced plans this week to open a new corporate operations office in Davidson County later this year and is reportedly offering dozens of its Seattle-based employees an opportunity to relocate to Tennessee as part of its expansion to the state. The...

‘Zero Empathy’: Pappert Blasts O’Connell as Downtown Businesses Face Crushing Tax Hikes

by Kaitlin Housler | Feb 21, 2026 | News, Politics, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, blasted Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s recent response to outrage over skyrocketing property taxes on Lower Broadway, saying the mayor’s remarks “show zero empathy” and amounted to telling a struggling business...