Nashville Eyes $527 Million Spending Plan

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell unveiled his proposed $527 million Capital Spending Plan to the Metro Council, focusing on increased investments in schools, parks, and critical infrastructure.

The plan proposed more than $100 million toward infrastructure improvements and nearly as much toward renovations and maintenance at Metro Nashville Public Schools. 

The effort would also include funding for transportation initiatives separate from the dedicated sales tax revenue allocated through the “Choose How You Move” transit plan. You can see spending details here. 

Cities Debunk Venezuelan Gang Reports

City leaders are casting doubts about recent reports of Tren de Aragua (TDA), a dangerous criminal organization from Venezuela, reportedly operating across the state.

Police officials in a dozen Tennessee cities said they’ve seen no sign of Venezuelan gang activity in their area, disputing reports last week by David Rausch, director of the state Bureau of Investigation. 

Knox County Sheriff’s Office gang unit captain said they’ve “had zero arrests and no interaction with them.” Blount County’s Narcotics supervisor had “not heard of them or seen any activity.” 

Rausch said the discrepancy between his report and local police is because of the “complexity of intelligence gathering,” and that the TBI has information local police might not see.

 Snow Forecast for Eastern Tennessee

A winter weather advisory is in effect for much of eastern Tennessee this weekend, with some higher elevations expecting up to 5 inches of snow.

The series of cold fronts is ushering in colder temperatures across Tennessee Friday and Saturday mornings, when temperatures will dip low enough for snow in some locations.

While the snowfall is expected to be light, some areas could see flurries, particularly along the Cumberland Plateau, where grassy and elevated surfaces may experience some accumulation.

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➤ Unionville: A former sheriff’s deputy was found guilty of five felony charges related to his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. (More)

➤ Coffee County: Authorities are still searching for an escaped inmate who fled from a vehicle while being transported from Franklin County. (More)

➤ Chattanooga: Audio released from the moments ahead of this week’s plane crash onto a major roadway reveals details behind the accident. (Watch Video Report)

➤ Memphis: Shelby County’s re-entry office was awarded $1 million by the Department of Justice to help with housing for people recently released from prison. (More)

➤ Knoxville: An explosion destroyed a home in the Choto area in West Knox County. No one was injured. (See Pictures)

➤ Gatlinburg: US 441/Newfound Gap Road is shut down in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to a winter weather advisory. (More)

➤ The University of Tennessee football team (8-2) gears up for its final home game tomorrow against UTEP (2-8) as it hopes for some help from other SEC teams to make the playoffs. (More)

➤ The Tennessee Titans (2-8) travel to Texas to play the Houston Texans (7-4) on Sunday at noon on CBS. (More)

➤ Memphis Grizzlies’ Head Coach Taylor Jenkins surpassed Lionel Hollins to become the team’s all-time winningest coach after defeating the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. He now has 215 regular-season wins. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | CFP | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | PGA | LPGA

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➤ The Centrus Energy facility in Oak Ridge, a supplier of fuel for nuclear power plants, announced a $60 million expansion in Tennessee on Wednesday. (More)

➤ Volkswagen named Henning Habicht as the new head of manufacturing at its Chattanooga location, replacing Chris Glover. Glover will retire in January. (More)

➤ Kroger and TennCare have partnered to help provide diapers to families across the state during the holiday season. (More)

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➤ Graceland’s annual Holiday Lighting Weekend opened with a mix of tradition, music, and Elvis-style flair. (More)

➤ Southern Living released a list of the best roadside restaurants, including three Tennessee locations led by Nashville’s Loveless Cafe. (More)

➤ A giraffe was born without spots, an extremely rare event, at the Bright Zoo in Tennessee. (See Video)

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Have you ever visited Graceland?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever been to see Rock City? 

1. Yes: 40.2%
2. No: 59.8%

What is the largest county in Tennessee?

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