TN in the Margins
📊 A closer look at the Beacon Poll · Did a senior Metro Water official play favorites? · More on the new Nashville ICE facility · Much more!
Big Council Watch Update. Our council tracking tool is no longer just a campaign finance scorecard. Follow your councilmember, and we'll tell you what they actually do. (Take a look)
Note on Upcoming Events For the next two months, our standard event schedule will divert from the standard third Thursday pattern. We have a lot on offer for you and are excited to share more in the coming days.
If you still crave our company, we'll be doing a Happy Hour at Von Elrod's on Thursday, September 17th @ 5:30 PM. Our normal candence will resume in November.
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A closer look at the Beacon poll.
From Megan Podsiedlik
Governor’s Race in the Margins Of those polled in the latest Beacon Center of Tennessee poll, 46 percent said they would pull the lever for Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn, compared to 33 percent who said they’d vote for Democratic candidate Jerri Green in the governor race. Those results are not a surprise, but the crosstabs tell a more interesting story.
The crossover of self-proclaimed Democrats who said they’d vote for Blackburn (5 percent) was higher than the crossover of Republicans who said they’d vote for Green (3 percent). That said, Green drew more support from independent/other party affiliations, with 33 percent of her overall support coming from that block. Only 27 percent of Blackburn's overall supporters identifed as independent/other.
The numbers are also interesting when looking at political ideology: conservative, moderate, or liberal. Again, more liberals make up those who said they would vote for Blackburn than conservatives who said they’d vote for Green. As for self-identified moderates, 40 percent made up those who said they’d vote for Green, while only 31 percent made up those who said they’d vote for Blackburn, making moderate messaging a winner for the underdog.
Artificial Intelligence Tennesseans aren't rejecting artificial intelligence, but there are some discrepancies depending on its use. The majority (54 percent) approve of the public having access to AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Gemini, but 53 percent believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates. The majority only supports AI use in healthcare when there are clear limits and human oversight.
That said, only 33 percent are worried AI could eliminate their current job within five years, while 65 percent aren't concerned. At this point, Tennesseans are still pretty confident (52 percent) that they can spot content created by artificial intelligence compared to content created by a person.
Middle Tennessee Beacon’s crosstabs reveal a few things about the mid-state worth noting. The majority of the region is optimistic about the way things are going in the state, with 56 percent of Middle Tennesseans polled reporting satisfaction. When it comes to state politics, the majority of those polled in the region are dissatisfied with the Tennessee Legislature, and only 41 percent trust state government.
The trust for local government is even lower. Only 36 percent of Middle Tennesseans trust their local city or county government, with 42 percent saying they distrust it. The region is the least pessimistic compared to East and West Tennessee about affordability, but the numbers aren’t great. A whopping 50 percent of Middle Tennesseans say life is less affordable than six months ago. As for K-12 education, the mid-state is mixed: 40 percent are satisfied and 46 percent are dissatisfied, with 11 percent having no opinion.
Super Bowl It turns out everyone is down with hosting Super Bowl LXIV in Nashville: 83 percent of East Tennesseans, 83 percent of Middle Tennesseans, and 82 percent of West Tennesseans think the event is a good thing.
✹ THE ARCHITECTURE OF OUR GLORY
Back to Our Roots We're sponsoring an event with the Meriwether Academy as they host Justin Shubow to speak about how beauty, civic architecture, and public design shape American culture and identity. Shubow is president of the National Civic Art Society and a former chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, best known for championing classical and traditional architecture in American public life. For gentlemen only. Buy Tickets.
HEADLINES
- 🚰 Senior Metro official retires amid new charges. Former Metro Water Services Assistant Director John Honeysucker retired before a disciplinary hearing amid allegations that he repeatedly used his position to help developers while maintaining undisclosed private business relationships with them. Records show he expedited permits and approvals, advocated for developers with Metro officials and state lawmakers, and used his Metro email and influence to advance private interests. Metro charged him with “sustained misuse” of his position and failing to file required financial disclosures. (Banner)
- 🛂 New Nashville ICE facility could coordinate 287(g) partners nationwide. A new DHS document reveals that the planned ICE facility in Nashville could serve as a National Coordination Center for the 287(g) program, including supporting compliance assessments of local law enforcement agencies nationwide. ICE is seeking contractors to conduct about 1,000 assessments annually, while the Nashville center is also expected to provide around-the-clock operational support to 287(g) partners. (TN Star)
- 🚨 Weekend Crime Blotter Nashville saw several serious crime incidents over the Labor Day weekend, including two fatal shootings, a fatal pedestrian crash, and a stabbing. A 55-year-old Frito-Lay employee, Paris Carlock of Murfreesboro, was killed Sunday morning by a stray bullet that entered the Sam’s Club on Antioch Pike after gunfire broke out outside a nearby lounge; homicide detectives are investigating. On Monday morning, a 26-year-old man, Layth Hantouli, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with two men in the parking garage of the 1200 Broadway apartments, with police recovering a handgun and large quantities of marijuana. Police also investigated a stabbing late Sunday night on 12th Avenue South that left a man critically injured and hospitalized. Separately, a 52-year-old Nashville man was killed early Saturday after being struck by a pickup truck while reportedly lying in the roadway on River Road. Meanwhile, MNPD arrested 46-year-old Antonio J. Simpson, a fugitive accused of sex crimes against a teenage girl he supervised at an 8th Avenue South fast-food restaurant; police also seized six guns, including two reported stolen.
✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH
Big Council Watch Update We built it to grade council members on where their money comes from. It does considerably more than that now. Make an account, follow the members you care about, and we'll send you the bills they introduce, the ones they co-sponsor, how they vote, and who they vote with. Local government isn't invisiuble, it's just unreadable. This is our effort to fix that. (Take a Look)
DEVELOPMENT
- Dutch Bros Coffee plans new East Nashville location (NBJ)
- Mexico City airline eyes BNA for flight (Post)
- East Nashville property last home to King Baby listed for sale (Post)
✹ PROPERTY TAX CALCULATOR
What Moved Your Bill? Use our handy new tool to see what contributed to your property tax bill increase: the reappraisal or the rate hike. (Try It Out)
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🎸 Hooked @ The Eighth Room, 6:30p, Free, Info
+ lively open mic competition with rotating guest panel
🎸 Twang Tuesday @ Acme Feed & Seed, 7p, Free, Info
🎸 Honky Tonk Tuesday @ Eastside Bowl, 8p, $10, Info
+ two-step lessons @ 7p, The Cowpokes @ 8p
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
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Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.