Emergency Winter Housing Assistance program is available to help people who are “unable to cover housing payments due to hardships caused by Winter Storm Fern.” But applications are only open for for one week, ending this Thursday. 

Applicants must be a resident of Davidson County, have been impacted by the storm and meet income requirements. All the info is on Metro’s website. Winter Storm Fern knocked out power for about half a million people in the Nashville Electric Service coverage area, destroying hundreds of miles of power lines and about 400 utility poles.

Now, the utility is bracing for repair costs. But customers could foot at least part of the bill.

The utility’s board had an emergency meeting at 8:30 a.m. Monday, which appears to have been announced over the weekend. That means it wasn’t the board’s normal monthly meeting, where materials are released days in advance and those wanting to offer public comment have ample time to prepare.

WPLN’s Catherine Sweeney watched the meeting to give you an update.

WHAT TO KNOW

A lineman with the Nashville Electric Service works restore power during Winter Storm Fern in Nashville. Credit: AP (file)During the meeting, NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Alpin said the numbers haven’t been finalized, but it’s likely damages totaled between $110 and $140 million. And it’s unlikely normal revenues can cover the tab.

“While NES is in a strong fiscal position, this generational storm will require us to consider a range of options, like bridge financing or accelerating our planned bond issuance, to be able to avoid or minimize any impacts on rates,” she said.

Bridge financing is basically a quick loan for big organizations. It has a shorter payback period and higher interest rates.

Bonds are a typical form of government debt; governments sell bonds to investors, who then get a small but reliable amount of interest over several decades. Metro took out $367 million in bonds for NES maintenance two years ago.

WPLN’s Catherine Sweeney reports repairs won’t be the only expense related to the storm. The hundreds of contracted linemen cost extra too — and Broyles-Alpin said the total price tag hasn’t been nailed down.

But the meeting offered some clues. Under current rules, top NES executives can increase payments in major contracts by $500,000 without taking the issue to the board for a vote. She and NES proposed raising that cap to $5 million — saying it would be used only for winter storm labor costs. 

The cap increase was among concerns for Metro Councilmember Emily Benedict, who spoke during the brief public comment period. “That increases the expenditure authorization by the CEO by 10 times,” she said. “I think a 2X increase is acceptable, but I would ask that you reduce that $5 million down to $1 million.”

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How long has Centennial Park’s upgrade been going on? The home to one of Nashville’s founding mothers is now a prominent park, where ongoing investments seek to protect its future relevance to the community. Plus, the local news for Feb. 10, 2026 and Appalachian truffle hunting.

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MORE TO KNOW

• A movement to make Appalachia the truffle capital of the world is gaining momentum.Growers say the climate and soil quality of the region create the perfect conditions for growing world-famous Périgord black truffles. The region is also home to several other wild truffles. Farms in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia are now producing their own truffles, and one truffle hunter in Kentucky has helped the bourbon distiller Maker’s Mark create its own orchard. [WKU]
   
• A former professor at the University of Tennessee spent years sharing research with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Between 2009 and 2016, Associate Professor of Computer Sciences Itamar Arel spoke with Epstein about facial recognition technology and humanoid robots, as part of a project for Epstein’s foundation to produce a functional artificial intelligence. Arel had conducted extensive research on machine learning and taught classes on AI at UT Knoxville. According to UT, Arel departed from his role in 2021. He did not respond to requests for comment. [WUOT News]
   
• Self-driving car company Waymo says its vehicles will soon run autonomously in Nashville. The cars have been operating here with a driver at the wheel for safety. Later this month, the vehicles will start giving fully autonomous rides to Waymo employees. That’s the last step before autonomous rides open up for the public. Waymo is a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet. [Tennessean]
   
• Need a new tree for your yard? The Tennessee Environmental Council will distribute trees across the state this March. Since 2007, the annual Tennessee Tree Day event has added a million native trees statewide, with help from around 100,000 Tennesseans. This year’s event marks the first time all 95 counties will have pickup sites. Reservations are open through March 1, available either for a donation or through scholarships.

FROM THIS IS NASHVILLE

Chef Ericka Fizer made it her life’s work to take care of others even as she endured her own hardships — starting with feeding her siblings when she was growing up. Then, on Easter Sunday, 2024, her restaurant was the site of a mass shooting. In trying to stop the violence, she was wounded and became a survivor. Part of her recovery has included telling her own story. She talks to This Is Nashville about resilience, breaking cycles and the art of failing.

Your input is central to our show. Call (615) 751-2500 to leave us your feedback. Submit your idea or email us. Stream This is Nashville with host Blake Farmeron YouTube, or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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