The New Issue in On the Street
If you haven’t already seen it, don’t miss the new issue of The East Nashvillian! This special issue takes a look at how our community is navigating the unprecedented events of 2020 through our perspectives. From the personal and financial devastation of a worldwide pandemic to the struggle for racial justice, we’re all just “Feeling the Elephant.” You can pick up your copy at usual distribution points, read it online, or have it delivered directly to your home through The East Nashvillian storefront.
And speaking of issues, our last edition is still available when you place an order for any of the deluxe merch we’re now offering through our webstore. Grab yourself a swank Shelby Bottoms shirt featuring the one and only Golden Pheasant or pay tribute to the East Side’s most famous Street (or is that Avenue? Or Pike?). Or score an East Side pride bandanna that can serve double duty as both a handy face covering or a high-flying freak flag! Show your East Side Pride with fancy duds on your body and a copy of The East Nashvillian on your coffee table. Place your order today!
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COVID-19 Updates — Path Cleared for Neighborhood Bars to Reopen
On Thursday, August 13, Mayor John Cooper announced further modifications to the Phase 2 of the Roadmap for Reopening Nashville. As of Monday, August 17, bars/limited-service restaurants can reopen with a maximum of 25 customers. Smaller bars must limit capacity to maintain proper physical distancing, and all bar counters in restaurants, bars, and breweries will remain closed to the public and cannot be used to order or serve food or drinks. Also, the closing time for bars and restaurants will be extended 30 minutes to 10:30 p.m.; to-go/curbside alcohol will remain prohibited in the downtown and Midtown zones. The mask mandate, which requires all employees and customers to wear masks except when eating or drinking in bars and restaurants, remains in effect.
Mayor Cooper said the city’s COVID numbers remain very serious but stable. (Check out the Davidson County COVID-19 Dashboard here.) He also expressed hope that the modification to Phase 2 requirements will allow more small business owners to reopen their doors and get employees back to work while not affecting the city’s progress in combating the pandemic. The Mayor noted that Metro Public Health Department enforcement teams will be making their rounds in the next week monitoring compliance with public health orders.
The city announced more citations and a handful of arrests this week for violations of the mask mandate. 40-year-old Christopher Eubank and 36-year-old Jeffrey Mathews, the owners of the East Nashville-based business, The Fashion House, face Class-A misdemeanor charges for violating health orders, which include: hosting a gathering of over 25 persons, not requiring social distancing, and not requiring face coverings. Their arrests stem from an August 1 house party at 21B Fern Ave., that sparked outrage from many East Side residents after photos and video were posted online.
While neighborhood bars may be reopening, that is not the case for Metro Schools. At the Mayor’s Thursday morning press conference, Meharry Hospital CEO Dr. James Hildreth discussed new research that he says shows it is not safe for schools to reopen for in-person classes at this time. According to Dr. Hildreth, a new study from the University of Florida proves that COVID-19 can be transferred through the air in a controlled environment, making enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, such as public schools and churches, at high-risk for transmission. Video of Dr. Hildreth’s comments is available here.
Nashville continued showing small improvements this week. As of Thursday, the transmission rate was at 0.83 and has remained below 1.0 for the past week; new cases reported in the last week total 1,348. However, the number of tests administered has been declining over the past two weeks, raising the possibility that some new cases may be going unrecorded. To date, there have been a total of 23,595 cases of COVID-19 reported in Davidson County, with 210 total deaths. More information and updates on Metro’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic are available at asafenashville.org.
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Apply Now for Your Absentee Ballot
A reminder that you can now request an absentee voting ballot for the November 3 General Election. Although the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned an earlier decision allowing Tennesseans to vote absentee for any reason, there are still a wide variety of reasons Tennesseans may do so. These include having an underlying medical condition that puts you at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 or if you are the caretaker of someone with a disability or underlying medical condition.
For more information, a link to the CDC’s list of underlying medical conditions that place you at high risk, and to request an absentee ballot, visit the Davidson County Election Commission. Once obtaining an absentee ballot, be sure to mail it in as early as possible to make sure your vote counts!
High Voltage Love Rocks On
Need some good news? We’re happy to report that the FCC just granted WXNA‘s broadcast license renewal, so they’ll keep on keepin’ on through 8/1/2028. Hooray!
(Full disclosure: Randy Fox is Chief Airwave Guru & Flogger of the Satraps at WXNA. —The Editor-in-Chief)
Margo Price hits back with “WAP“
Our ever-talented, Grammy Award-Nominated, no-fucks-left-to-give friend, Margo Price, performed a country cover of the summer hit “WAP” on last night’s episode of “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on Comedy Central. The performance was preceded by a discussion between Trevor and correspondent Dulcé Sloan breaking down the double standard of the Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s song “WAP.” Margo tweeted “when @Trevornoah and the daily show ask you to cover @iamcardib you do it #wap”. Check out the episode below, with Margo’s performance starting at 6:06.
Jason Eskridge Live Tonight at Music Makers
Sunday Night Soul maestro Jason Eskridge is the star this week for the second installment of the new, LIVE from the Music Makers Stage livestream, presented by Delgado Guitars.
For the full run-down of Eskridge’s career and his efforts to bring love, positivity, and equity to Nashville’s music scene, check out Ron Wynn’s feature story in our new issue. And be sure to catch the show tonight, Friday, August 14, at 7 p.m. CDT on Facebook or YouTube. Subscribe to the Delgado Guitars YouTube Channel to be notified when tonight’s show goes live and for info on upcoming shows.
A Possible Lead in an East Nashville Mystery
One of East Nashville’s most notorious unsolved mysteries sprang back into the headlines this week. On Wednesday, the Metro Police Department announced that Cold Case-Homicide detectives, Urban Search & Rescue officers, and FBI agents were searching in rural Hickman County for evidence relating to the 2003 disappearance of 13-year-old Tabitha Tuders.
Tuders disappeared from a school bus stop near her Lillian Street home on April 29, 2003. The case made national headlines, and Tuders has remained on the FBI’s Kidnappings/Missing Persons Most Wanted list for the last 17 years. Although many people believe Tuders was murdered near the time of disappearance, Metro Police speculate Tuders may have been abducted and forced into drug use and prostitution. In a press conference on Wednesday, MNPD Spokesperson Don Aaron cited a recent tip that Tuders may have been on the Hickman County property shortly after her disappearance.
Anyone with information about Tuders disappearance or her current whereabouts is asked to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678).
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Attaboy Offers Tribute to Tornado Victims
The March 3 tornado devastated many East Side businesses. Still, the greatest tragedy from that night was when Attaboy Lounge employee Michael Dolfini and his girlfriend, Albree Sexton, were hit by debris and killed as they were leaving the popular nightspot.
With Attaboy shuttered due to tornado damage and coronavirus pandemic, managing partner Brandon Bramhall began seeking ways to help his employees financially. He found a unique way to raise money while also memorializing Dolfini and Albree. Attaboy is now selling “Positive Vibes” t-shirts through their website that feature artwork from Dolfini found in a sketchbook belonging to the former bartender. To order, visit Attaboy’s webstore and for information on Attaboy’s reopening plans, follow them on Instagram @attaboynashville.
The Mother Church Sings Again with Live at The Ryman
The Ryman Auditorium announced its first-ever livestream concert series this week. Live At The Ryman will bring exclusive livestream performances to fans at home with plans to eventually offer limited-ticket shows strictly complying with operating policies developed in partnership with Vanderbilt Health and approved by Metro Public Health Department.
The six-week, Friday night livestream experience kicks off August 14 with for KING & COUNTRY. The series continues with five more weekly shows from Cam, Chris Janson, Scotty McCreery, Brett Young, and Old Crow Medicine Show. Tickets are available now. For more information, visit ryman.com.
Quick Bits
- East Side Banh Mi opened their doors this week at 1000 Gallatin Ave., serving Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, salads, rice, and noodle bowls. Check out their menu and hours at com.
- Maximum Nail Spa recently opened their doors at 1000 Russell St. Featuring shields between the technicians and the clients and providing masks for customers, they are open for business Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more info, visit them on Facebook.
- Grammy-award-winning Country singer/songwriter Maren Morris is showing her support for the community with a recent donation of $70,000 to the East Nashville Magnet High School and an additional $10,000 to East Nashville bar The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club. The school donation will assist with the cost of instruments, uniforms, tuxedos, and gowns for the band program, and the donation to The Fox will help the local bar pay for expenses while closed due to the ongoing pandemic.
- Construction should begin soon on the five-story boutique hotel planned for 916 Main St. The hotel will feature 12 four-bedroom units and 12 one-bedroom units. A 570-square-foot retail space, as well as a 25-space parking area under the building, are also included. Powell Architecture + Building Studio is design services with Thomas & Hutton providing the engineering work.
- A roughly 2-acre property at 195 N. First St., just north of Nissan Stadium, was listed for sale this week with an undisclosed asking price. The property was formerly home to the Gray Line tour bus company and is expected to sell for more than $9 million.
