NashVillager

Between new developments in the lawsuits and a potential new layer of map revisions, Tennessee's political redistricting saga continues. Plus the local news for June 12, 2026 and Nashville In Harmony breaks new ground. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Public health departments are being ordered by state officials to report the immigration status of children who receive government-funded medical care for critical and terminal illnesses. Plus the local news for June 11, 2026 and why Japan's World Cup home base is Nashville. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

From a lawsuit over last summer's library garage explosion to the impromptu interstate fireworks display and a downtown arson spree, here's a roundup of recent happenings on a quite flammable theme. Plus the local news for June 10, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The Arnold Air Force base was started with equipment confiscated from German testing grounds and the dreams of an American scientist who pioneered the field of rocketry. Plus the local news for June 9, 2026 and family medical leave. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The fugitive imprisoned for killing a Civil Rights icon, the Nashville lawyer who made Congress reconsider, and a mountain of evidence. Plus the local news for June 8, 2026 and kudzu.  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Many Nashvillians avoid downtown this week, but there's an argument for giving it a chance once in a while. Plus the local news for June 5, 2026 and Ashley Monroe. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tennessee doesn't have its own minimum wage. That means the base pay amount in this state hasn't changed in almost two decades. Plus the local news for June 4, 2026 and second love.Plus the local news for June 4, 2026 and finding a second love. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tennessee communities are adopting new policies to deal with a new, power-hungry form of industrial development. Plus the local news for June 3, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

With Tennessee and the nation celebrating milestone anniversaries, a new WPLN project takes a curated look at the backstory to today's news stories. Plus the local news for June 2, 2026 and bears. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Becoming the 16th state was just the end of a long road of attempts at self-governance in Tennessee. Plus the local news for June 1, 2026 and saving native orchids. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Who gets to decide what lawmakers can and can't do on the House or Senate floor? With some Tennessee legislators facing sanctions for their actions during the recent special session, a look at how the rules apply to the people who make the laws.Plus the local news for May 29, 2026, and Billy Hudson's healing journey. 

What's the origin story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians?Tens of thousands of Cherokee people were marched out of our region in the Trail of Tears. A handful managed to stay.Plus the local news for May 28, 2026, and Healthcare Hollow looks at the fight for a hospital in Jellico, in East Tennessee.

Will Middle Tennessee ever get a theme park again?Comedian Nate Bargatze hopes to build an amusement park in the Nashville area, but many have tried and failed in the years since Opryland closed.Plus the local news for May 27, 2026, and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day.Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public Radio.Host/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: Tony GonzalezAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, LaTonya Turner, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

With gas prices skyrocketing, Tennessee's scenic highways and byways offer a road trip option that stays closer to home. Plus the local news for May 26, 2026 and cutting down on screen time. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Taming or harnessing the power of rivers can be great for people, challenging for the environment. Plus the local news for May 22, 2026 and menopause. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Even before the “perfect 36” vote in Tennessee's statehouse clinched ratification of the 19th amendment for the nation's women, Tennesseans were among the advocates that pushed the cause of women's suffrage to the forefront. Plus the local news for May 21, 2026 and a late-in-life transition. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Building new bridges is an essential part of fostering new development where we want it. The opposite is true, too. Plus the local news for May 20, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

This year, Tennessee lawmakers tried to install guardrails on artificial intelligence, with mixed results. Plus the local news for May 19, 2026 and Key Changes: R&B Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Before the United States entered the “Great War,” one Tennessean volunteered for service and made history. Plus the local news for May 18, 2026 and preserving Fort Negley. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The Barrett “Light Fifty” sniper rifle fires ammunition that can take out a tank. And it was designed as a passion project by a local firearms enthusiast in his free time. Plus the local news for May 15, 2026 and a city-state power grab.  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tennessee's direct connection to Israel took a new step this year. Plus the local news for May 14, 2026 and a NextAge look at dating. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

There have been nearly two years of accusations, investigations, ethics complaints and denials over property assessments and tax values in Rutherford County. Plus the local news for May 13, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tax rates are one thing, assessed value is another, but between the two factors, property tax bills are causing lots of heartburn right now. Plus the local news for May 12, 2026 and Big Emma. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tolbert Fanning built an important means for Christians without a denomination to maintain ties across congregations. Plus the local news for May 11, 2026 and Miracle Fields. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Newly digitized archives show how Fisk University's radio station was founded in a time of openness to revolutionary ideas. Plus the local news for May 8, 2026 and Amy Grant. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The current special session may be the fastest Tennesse's political map has ever been redrawn, but there's a history of changing the lines for party gain. Plus the local news for May 7, 2026 and Key Changes looks at comedic country. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

She might have become known as a political grand dame just for playing an important supporting role in the careers of the men in her family, but this woman decided her place was in the House and Senate, too. Plus, the local news for May 6, 2026, and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The voting portion of this year's election cycle starts today with local primaries and a new wrinkle to picking your primary ballot. Plus, the local news for May 5, 2026, and Curious Nashville finds buried treasure. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Al Capone was a bootlegger, not a moonshiner, but he found a use for the same hilly area used to hide stills from the revenuers. Plus, the local news for May 4, 2026, and Kacey Musgraves.  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The same part of Tennessee where the loss of Voting Rights Acts protections could be felt first was once the sight of a brutal event that spurred passage of the 14th Amendment. Plus the local news for May 1, 2026 and RaDonda Vaught. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

From Diane Nash Plaza and Ronald Reagan Way to the fight over MTSU Forrest Hall, there's a lot riding on the names we give streets and buildings. Plus the local news for April 30, 2026, and a preview of the latest Music Citizens podcast. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

First there was Ed the Zebra, then an oryx on the loose. This time, a woman walking her dog got a little too close of an encounter with an animal you just don't expect to see in this part of the world. Plus the local news for April 29, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

108 Tennesseans died because of their work last year, and tens of thousands were injured. Plus the local news for April 28, 2026 and restoring Nashville's urban forest. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Just a day after the General Assembly adjourned last week, one of its longtime members died. Plus the local news for April 27, 2026 and bringing a steam locomotive back to life. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Slowly, over decades, Tennessee has been building a linear trail to give hikers and backpackers access to a part of the Appalachians that isn't the Smokies. Plus the local news for April 24, 2026 and the connection between stargazing and conservation. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

As the General Assembly wraps up its business for the year, we have a results roundup of education-related bills. Plus, the local news for April 22, 2026, and more protection for the Duck River Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The Spanish-American conflict began in earnest when a ship named for our city fired the first shots. Plus the local news for April 22, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

There's a positive update to a recent topic: the state's fire mortality rate took a big leap in the right direction. Plus, the local news for April 21, 2026, and the challenges of long-term unemployment. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

An abandoned plane leads to the colorful story of a Nashville man who broke bad before finding God. Plus, the local news for April 20, 2026, and grassland restoration. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

A significant number of significant Nashville buildings that don't exist anymore were all designed by the same man: Adolphus Heiman. Plus, the local news for April 17, 2026, and the music of Summer Joy. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

New child labor protections in Tennessee aim to shield the privacy of kids too young to say no when their parents want to show their lives online. Plus, the local news for April 16, 2026, and the slate of immigration measures moving through the state legislature. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The effects of Winter Storm Fern continue to be felt, this time in regards to red tape. Plus, the local news for April 15, 2026, and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

It's easy to think of breaking down racial lines in schools as a piece of Civil Rights history, but that was just the start of an ongoing process. Plus the local news for April 14, 2026 and the Health Care Hollow project discusses sepsis. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Fires aren't quite as common as they once were, but they still have the power to devastate. Plus the local news for April 13, 2026 and remembering the man whose faces watches over the Nations. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tourism is a natural fit for Nashville, but that doesn't mean it's easy to balance the books of our hospitality industry. Plus the local news for April 10, 2026 and Nashville musicians deal with AI on their own terms. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The new stadium under construction in Nashville embraces a trend the team once ran away from. Plus the local news for April 9, 2026 and HealthQ discusses AI at the doctor.  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

A geology professor from one of the state's leading science and engineering programs will play an important role in an upcoming moon mission. Plus the local news for April 8, 2026 and this week's edition of What Where Whens-day. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Some Southern history is a cautionary tale for our own time. Plus the local news for April 7, 2026 and the rural healthcare crisis.  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

The recent deadly crash during a Clarksville school trip is a reminder of some questions and debates that people have had over standards for a type of transportation used almost exclusively by children. Plus the local news for April 6, 2026 and the Tennessee Highway Patrol considers adopting facial recognition technology.  Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Before there was the Tennessee Highway Patrol, there was the union-busting State Police force. Plus the local news for April 3, 2026 and new music from Chuquimamani-Condori. Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Spent fuel from nuclear power plants has to go somewhere. Right now, there's a push to make that place Tennessee. Plus the local news for April 2, 2026 and Curious Nashville Credits: This is a production of Nashville Public RadioHost/producer: Nina CardonaEditor: LaTonya TurnerAdditional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP