It’s pretty rare for people in government to agree on anything.
But last week, Nashville’s Metro Council unanimously agreed that we have a problem with our gun dispossession process.
And they even agreed on the solution to that problem — a dedicated firearms dispossession investigator who would look into reports of people who have guns when they shouldn’t. The investigator could get a warrant and then go get the firearms.
It’s a solution that has proven effective in other places. In Denver, a firearms dispossession investigator with the local district attorney’s office helped collect more than 40 guns from people who should not have had access to them in the first few months on the job, according to reporting from NPR member station WAMU.
But which agency this Nashville investigator would work for has been a game of hot potato for years, and it’s unclear who is going to step up to the plate to take on the responsibility.
More on that here.
and Nashville Public Radio donors
🎙️ On the NashVillager podcast today:
Why is the Nashville area a natural fit for the distribution business? Office towers may boom and bust, but industrial development always seems to be a good match for Middle Tennessee. Plus, the local news for May 14, 2025, and this week’s edition of What Where Whens-Day.
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MORE TO KNOW
- In new federal statistics provided yesterday, authorities say they made 196 immigration arrests in Nashville. Mayor Freddie O’Connell told WPLN’s This Is Nashville yesterday that he is skeptical of the legitimacy of recent traffic stops that have led to immigration status arrests. He confirmed that litigation by the city is possible. His office is still pushing for the full list of names of those recently arrested by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and ICE.
- Tennessee has joined the growing movement against artificial food dyes — although to a lesser degree than some other states. Lawmakers banned food dye Red 40 from public schools and charter programs. News Channel 5 reportsthat the ban doesn’t include vending machines or concessions. But it might prevent products like yogurt, strawberry milk, and Jell-O from being served. Lawmakers cited research saying Red 40 may include a substance that causes cancer. They also link the dye to hyperactivity and depression. Tennessee’s ban will go into effect in August 2027.
- Nashville is sinking. And so are a lot of other cities around the nation. Not by much, but even a few millimeters of elevation loss can make a difference: issues like increased flooding, structural damage to buildings, and problems with transportation infrastructure. A study published in Nature Cities (an offshoot of the scientific journal Nature), looks at the phenomenon called “subsidence.” The study looked for signs of subsidence in urban areas around the United States. It found some degree of measurable subsidence across much of Davidson County.
FROM WNXP
Samara Joy. Photo Credit to AB+DM
Jazz vocalist Samara Joyhas accomplished so much in a short amount of time.
Growing up in the Bronx with a family of Gospel singers, her introduction to jazz wasn’t until the end of high school and wasn’t interested in pursing it fully until she got to college and enrolled in SUNY’s Purchase College jazz program.
“I got into the jazz program not knowing a single thing about jazz except for the song that I learned,” she said. “I’m really grateful to the professor who was the head of the conservatory at the time for giving me that opportunity.”
Read more here.
FROM THIS IS NASHVILLE
This month, the mayor talks ICE raids, transportation, the State of Metro and more. Then, later in the show, we hear from Metro Property Assessor Vivian Wilhoite about the latest property tax assessment and appeals process.
Next month, the mayor is scheduled to join us on Wednesday, June 18. Mark your calendar and call 615-760-2000 at noon that day with your question or comment. You can also leave us a message at 615-751-2500 and it might end up on the show!Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
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