Mayor Orders Electric Service Investigation

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell issued an executive order on Monday  establishing a commission to investigate Nashville Electric Service’s handling of last week’s deadly winter storm.

The commission has six months to return initial findings and can hold hearings and request assistance from the Metropolitan Auditor. More than 230,000 customers lost power during the historic ice storm, with tens of thousands still without electricity over a week later.

O’Connell met with NES leaders on Sunday and said the utility is “unequipped to communicate about a crisis.” The mayor added that details NES shared about their internal outlook would have significantly impacted public guidance from the beginning.

NES officials anticipate adding 500 more linemen in the next 24 hours. The winter storm has claimed 23 lives statewide, with a state of emergency still active.

TDOT Tackles Statewide Potholes

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is launching statewide pothole repairs following the storm that left roads across Tennessee damaged and in need of urgent attention.

Crews will use cold-mix asphalt for quick patches, with permanent fixes planned for spring and early summer. TDOT Commissioner Will Reid said contracts were in place well ahead of snow and ice season, allowing crews to mobilize immediately.

During the eight-day storm response, TDOT crews logged 99,000 staff hours and used 73,000 tons of salt while clearing thousands of trees.

Motorists should expect traffic delays during off-peak hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays as repair work continues. Drivers can report potholes by calling 833-TDOTFIX or submitting requests online. 

Musk Donates Generators Statewide

Tech billionaire Elon Musk donated hundreds of generators to Tennesseans still without power following the historic winter storm.

Gov. Bill Lee announced the donation Monday morning, expressing gratitude to Musk and his company xAI for supporting communities across the state.

The donation comes as thousands have been living without light or heat in freezing temperatures for up to nine days. As of Monday morning, the governor had not released details on how the generators will be distributed.

The historic ice storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands across Tennessee at the end of January. Lee said he values Musk’s continued partnership to solve problems and support communities.

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➤ Statewide: FEMA approved $3.75 million in expedited emergency funds for Tennessee to reimburse storm response actions and sustain ongoing efforts. (More)

➤ Statewide: TBI warned residents of scam calls, texts, and emails falsely claiming to be from the agency following the winter storm, emphasizing they never ask for money. (More)

➤ Jefferson City: Ongoing water outages due to degraded filtration membranes have officials urging residents to conserve water as replacements are ordered. (More)

➤ Murfreesboro: An eighth grader was charged with handgun possession after the school’s weapons detection system found a partially assembled, non-functional unloaded handgun at Christiana Middle School. (More)

➤ Stewart County: A local sheriff spent a night in jail with inmates to personally assess heating issues in some pods, where temperatures dropped to the low 60s during extreme cold. (More)

➤ Men’s Basketball AP Poll: Vanderbilt rose three spots to No. 15 in this week’s rankings, while Tennessee re-entered the list as No. 25. (See Full Poll)

➤ Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz will reportedly retire after decades of work with the hockey team. A local legend, Trotz coached the team from 1998 through 2014 before becoming a general manager three years ago. (More)

➤ The Lady Vols basketball team lost 96-66 to historic rival UConn on Sunday—the second-largest margin of defeat in program history. (More)

➤ Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes joked that his own players may be betting on games because of how bad some of their passes were, then immediately walked the comment back in a press conference. (More)

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➤ Unemployment rates fell below 5% in 91 of Tennessee’s 95 counties in December, with Williamson and Cheatham counties reporting the lowest rate at 2.6%. (More)

➤ Middle Tennessee businesses continue facing supply chain disruptions and power issues more than a week after winter storms, impacting operations and revenue across the region. (More)

➤ The Grand Majestic Theater in Pigeon Forge will close after its 2026 season after selling the property to a developer planning a new attraction in 2027. (More)

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➤ Keith Habersberger of The Try Guys returned to Tennessee to film a YouTube episode at Dollywood, attempting to eat every food item the theme park offers. (More)

➤ Post Malone is bringing the second leg of his record-breaking tour to Nashville’s Nissan Stadium in June, though this time without Jelly Roll. (More)

➤ Multiple Tennessee agencies rescued a dog that fell 150 feet down a bluff wall near Adams, working nearly five hours in icy conditions to reunite it with its owners. (More)

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