#snowmageddon2021
How’s it snowing, er, I mean, going? Sorry, snow is on the brain because one of this week’s biggest headlines has, of course, been the weather. Ice, snow, and single-digit temperatures have wreaked havoc on Middle Tennessee.
A large number of local businesses temporarily closed for much of the week, as did Metro schools for both in-person and virtual learning. Cars (and even a salt truck!) slid around and piled-up on highways and local roads, thousands of people were left without power, a dozen people had to be rescued when a boating dock collapsed in the snow, the cops shut down a game of hockey on Lake Watauga at Centennial Park, and, as of Wednesday evening, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has reported four weather-related deaths in the state, including one child in Williamson County who died in a sledding accident.
The snow is pretty, yes, but it’s dangerous, too. Oof.
Temperatures are supposedly going to rise this weekend — Sunday’s high will be 46º F, according to Weather Underground — but temps will dip back down around or below freezing in the evenings so the snow will melt into water during the day, the water will freeze into ice at night, and things will get all slippy slidey again and again. Science! So continue to stay home if you can, stay safe when you do head outside, check reliable outlets like Nashville Severe Weather for updates, and don’t forget to drip your faucets.
Should you need help
For help with non-emergency Metro services, visit nashville.gov, use the hubNashville 311 app any time or call 311 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. CDT, Mondays through Fridays
- For help with orders of protection, call Metro’s Office of Family Safety at (615) 880-1100 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT, or (615) 880-1101 before and after hours
- For help with emergency shelter, visit the Nashville Rescue Mission website or call (615) 255-2475 or (615) 312-1574 for more information
- Heating Safety
- Winter Driving Safety
- NES Power Outage Tips
- TDOT Smartway Map
- Metro Public Works Snow Route Information
To Give Help
The Community Resource Center of Nashville (CRC) is asking for donations of hand warmers, gloves, hats, and blankets. To donate http://bit.ly/DonatetoCRCNashville.
Local Man Makes Good
Knowing this weather is especially dangerous for people who are currently experiencing homelessness, East Nashvillian Stephen Bloomfield put out a call-to-action on the East Nashville Facebook page. On Monday, February 15, he wrote, “There are 40-60 tents underneath the Jefferson St. Bridge. The roads are currently shit but I’m out in a 4×4. I’ll come pick up things that you are willing to donate today, tomorrow… whenever. It’s not getting any warmer.”
He asked for potable water, propane tanks, food, clothing, blankets, and more, and he initially thought it would result in a couple of extra trips around town. As of Wednesday, Bloomfield says he has made at least 30 pick-ups around East Nashville and Inglewood, with some destinations being as far out as Madison and The Gulch, and the offers to help keep pouring in.
“Everybody really came out in full force,” says Bloomfield. “We got a lot done.”
People donated everything from grills, clothes, and blankets to food and hygiene products and Bloomfield says even local businesses have jumped in to lend a hand. Trinity Gas Co. supplied propane tanks and filled several more tanks for free and Five Points Pizza donated nearly 200 loaves of fresh-baked bread.
“They were closed because of the weather and they had a dough fermenting for their pizza so instead of making pizzas, they made loaves of bread,” Bloomfield tells The East Nashvillian. “They made 90 [Tuesday] and 100 [Wednesday]. Henley in Midtown, they donated 20 quarts of soup in to-go containers.”
Bloomfield says he’ll continue to make supply runs as long as there is a need and, because Facebook messages became so flooded with offers to help, he has set up a Google doc to continue making pick-up appoints.
“People have to eat, people need to stay warm,” he says. “I don’t really see myself stopping anytime soon, especially because of the weather.”
Unrelated to Bloomfield’s inspiring efforts, but still worth noting because it brings me so much joy, Bloomfield has an 80-pound pet pig named Mortadella who is the mascot for his landscaping business Green Scapes and Ham. Amazing.
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How You Can Further Help Those Experiencing Homelessness in East Nashville
Speaking of helping our unhoused neighbors, this week we also checked in with Ryan LaSuer, the director at Community Care Fellowship, to see how they’re holding up during this winter storm. While Metro has set up emergency shelters and warming centers around the city, there isn’t currently anything like that available in East Nashville, save for pick-up sites that will transport folks to shelters, so CCF’s services are especially vital right now.
The center, located at 511 South 8th Street, serves breakfast five days a week, and they also offer daily shower and laundry services as well as clothes, sleeping bags, and other goods as needed. While they’ve been able to remain open during the winter storm, they can always use extra donations.
LaSuer says money is most helpful “so that we can spend it as needed to empower our unhoused and socially displaced guests through our stabilizing and transformational programs,” and there are also some specific items that are always in demand.
“We always take donations of blankets, coats, hats, gloves, sleeping bags, and hand warmers,” says LaSuer. “Bottled water is essential. We go through at least 20 cases a week and more during the summer. Laundry detergent and bleach because we typically do 4,000-5,000 loads of laundry annually. Socks and white T-shirts in various sizes.”
Visit ccfnashville.org to learn more.
Yes, Exit/In Property Is For Sale
In news posted by Nate Rau at Tennessee Lookout on Monday, the plot of land upon which rock club Exit/In and its neighboring bar Hurry Back sit is for sale. But don’t start writing a eulogy just yet.
Chris Cobb and his wife, Telesia, who own the businesses but not the buildings or land, are hoping to buy the property themselves with help from Grubb Properties through its newly founded Live Venue Recovery Fund.
Telesia posted on Facebook that the couple has received several offers of support and will share updates on “any ways to contribute as they arise.
“We aim to pour every bit of love we have into saving the Exit/In with this fantastic collaboration with the Grubb Property Live Venue Recovery Fund,” she continued on the post. “And we hope that this will also spark conversations far and wide about what is needed in these times (from the top and the bottom) to ensure cities and live music across our country and the globe thrives for all. In a thriving city, everyone thrives.”
Grubb Properties founded the Live Venue Recovery Fund at the end of 2020. Grubb’s director, Hillary Schmidt, tells The East Nashvillian, “We have long valued the importance of independent live music venues as cultural centers for communities, and even before the fund, we played an instrumental role in reestablishing the Visulite Theater in Charlotte, NC, and assisted with the financing of the newly revamped Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill, NC.”
Grubb isn’t currently working with any other venues in Nashville, Schmidt says, but they’re “always eager to add good prospects to our pipeline to see if this program is a good fit.”
As for the timeline, Schmidt says it’s too early to say when they will make a bid for and/or purchase the property, nor did she say when Exit/In’s current lease is up.
If you’re interested in investing in the fund Schmidt says, “Our Live Venue Recovery Fund is open to accredited investors, and anyone qualified who’s interested in learning more about the fund should go to grubbproperties.com/investments.”
It also couldn’t hurt the cause to load up on some Exit/In merch. I’m gonna get the socks — it’s 23º as I write this and my feet are freeeeeezing.
act now to advertise in our March/April 2021 print edition by contacting
sales@theeastnashvillian.com
Fire at Trinity Community Commons
There was a two-alarm fire at Trinity Community Commons on Wednesday. The church at 204 E. Trinity Lane was being used by the organization as a virtual learning center for Metro students by offering free drop-in WiFi access weekday afternoons and hosting community meals every Tuesday night.
Firefighters say no one was injured in the fire and students weren’t in the building at the time due to the snow.
You can donate to TCC here or by texting DONATE to 877-TCC-NASH.
Quick Bits:
- The brand new issue of The East Nashvillian is out now! Have you grabbed your copy yet? You can stay cozy and flip through the virtual mag here and you can purchase a physical copy online and have it delivered to your door here.
- Remember when everyone was like, “Let’s build a Dolly Parton statue at the Capitol”? Well, she says “please don’t.”
- Okey Dokey, featuring Johny Fisher and Aaron Martin, will perform at 3rd and Lindsley on Sunday, February 21 as part of Lightning 100’s Nashville Sunday Night series. You can stream the performance on nugs.net.
- The old Subway and UPS Store lot on Main Street, next to Jerry’s Artarama, recently sold for $6 million. Speaking of Artarama, the art shop reopened a few weeks ago after being closed for nearly a year due to significant damage in the March 3 tornado.
- I know a lot of y’all are real excited about the new Publix, but some folks are boycotting the chain after learning that Julie Jenkins Fancelli, daughter of Publix founder George W. Jenkins, donated $300,000 to Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally. The rally, of course, preceded the deadly insurgence on January 6. Publix has responded, distancing themselves from Fancelli and ensuring shoppers Fancelli’s views do not represent the company.
- Crye-Leike names East Nashville real estate agent Eddie Ferrell as their Middle Tennessee general manager.
- You probably already noticed, but garbage pick-up was delayed because of the snow and ice. Officials say things should be back on track next week.
- Tuesday’s Yardi Gras parade was canceled due to snow. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. All the details are here. (And did you see Bernie in a ladder seat? Perfect.)
Love Buzz
When you see the latest cover The East Nashvillian you might think, “Who the hell is that fun-looking dude with all those stuffed animals?” It’s Neil Fridd of Terror Pigeon! Have you heard Terror Pigeon? You must. They’re the perfect “dance your worries away” party music, and I’ve found their tunes to be especially energizing this week as I try to combat a particularly restless bout of cabin fever. So this week’s song is “It’s Okay!” from 2018’s collection Yucksongs 2! Haley Makes the Cover! 2015-2017.
The song is all about dancing, yes—“funky chicken, mashed potato, ‘letric slide ,” etc. goes one verse — but it’s also an electrifying reminder that, “when you are dead you’re in the ground and you cannot give hugs.” So hug! Play in the snow! Let go of all fucks and allow the good vibes to flow through you because shit is hard and shit is scary but the world can also be a magical place!
Thanks for the reminder, Terror Pigeon.
