NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A city audit of former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry's affair with her police bodyguard does not reveal how much taxpayer money was used for overtime and out-of-town trips, but the auditor says he faced constraints in his work.

2. Comptroller’s TBI Report Spurs New Legislation - Thursday, August 23, 2018

Legislation to crack down on misuse of state-issued cell phones is being spurred by a state Comptroller’s report showing the former acting director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and his girlfriend downloaded apps enabling them to communicate undetected.

3. Hard To Find an ‘Adult In The Room’ in This Year’s Ads - Thursday, August 2, 2018

Television executives, ad reps and political consultants will hate to see this governor’s primary race end. But they can take solace from all the pain they’ve helped dole out while dining on caviar and grilled halibut while in the Caribbean Islands this fall, if they like fish eggs.

4. Nashville’s Metro Council Reeling with Money Woes - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Metro Nashville City Council is “just worn out,” councilman Robert Swope says.

“All of us are completely beat up. We’ve had more elections in the last three months than we’ve had in the last five years. We’re all sick of it,” Swope says. “We’ve got the MLS soccer stadium thing going crazy. Look at it, transit, property taxes, budget. This is a part-time gig for us. I’m spending 70 hours a week working on my part-time gig.

5. Boyd Takes His 1st Swipe at Lee in Tennessee GOP Gov Race Ad - Thursday, July 19, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Ex-state economic development commissioner Randy Boyd is waging his first attacks on businessman Bill Lee in Tennessee's four-way Republican gubernatorial primary.

6. 'Game of Thrones' Slays With a Leading 22 Emmy Nominations - Friday, July 13, 2018

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Game of Thrones" roared back onto the Emmy battlefield, topping Thursday's nominations with 22 bids but with a formidable opponent in last year's winner "The Handmaid's Tale," while a streaming platform made history by earning the most bids for the first time.

7. Lee: GOP Governor Race Attack Ads 'Not What a Leader Does' - Thursday, July 12, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Bill Lee has released an ad criticizing what he calls dishonest attack ads in the GOP gubernatorial primary, saying he's "not going down that road."

With early voting approaching Friday, Lee's ad argues the attacks aren't what a leader does and show some candidates will say and do anything to get elected.

8. Floodgates Burst On Attacks In Tennessee Gop Governor’s Race - Monday, July 2, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The floodgates have burst on attack ads in Tennessee's Republican gubernatorial primary.

New TV ads keep hitting the airwaves after U.S. Rep. Diane Black's commercial this week that labeled former state economic development chief Randy Boyd and businessman Bill Lee as moderates. All four leading Republican contenders have touted their conservative credentials throughout the campaign, and now Black and Boyd are trying to pick each other's claims apart.

9. Black Fires First Candidate Attack Ad in Tennessee Governor's race - Friday, June 29, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Congresswoman Diane Black labels businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee moderates in the first Tennessee gubernatorial race attack ad by a campaign.

10. Midstate Transit Future is Paved With Tired Ideas - Thursday, June 14, 2018

If you ask state Rep. William Lamberth, Davidson County voters gave a resounding answer on the future of mass transit in this region. Based on their overwhelming defeat of an early May referendum, they don’t want to raise taxes for mass transit, preferring to be more like Atlanta and Los Angeles and less like New York.

11. Tackling Transit, Reappraisal at Once Not Smart - Thursday, May 31, 2018

Nashville’s Metro Council is taking the hit for falling asleep at the wheel in a period of unprecedented prosperity and waking up to a budget shortfall in mid-2018.

“We’ve been drunken by our growth and the label of the It City,” Councilwoman Tanaka Vercher admits. “But this is what happens in growth. It stabilizes.”

12. Nashville Voters Reject $5.4 Billion Mass Transit Plan - Thursday, May 3, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a plan to pay for a $5.4 billion mass transit system that called for a new light rail system, expanded bus routes and the building of a downtown underground tunnel.

13. Tenn. Supreme Court: Nashville Mayoral Election to Be Held in May - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a special election must be held in May to decide who will fill the remaining term of disgraced former Mayor Megan Barry. The expedited decision puts an end to at least some of the confusion about when voters should go to the polls.

14. Mayor Says New Park Will Help Nashville 'Atone' for Slavery - Wednesday, March 14, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville Mayor David Briley says his city can begin to acknowledge, atone and seek reconciliation for slavery by replacing an unused minor league baseball stadium with a park commemorating a Civil War fort built by slaves.

15. New Nashville Mayor to Run to Keep the Job in August - Monday, March 12, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – New Nashville Mayor David Briley, who was sworn in after ex-Mayor Megan Barry resigned in the fallout of her extramarital affair, says he plans to run to keep the job in an August election.

16. Last Word: Penny Turns Up, Boots to Tickets and Ag Innovation - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

So it begins as it always does in the world of Tigers basketball. Gary Parrish of CBSSports reporting the University of Memphis is considering a change from Tubby Smith to Penny Hardaway. Hardaway’s name last surfaced during the exit of Josh Pastner. This time around, the report is that Hardaway has already started rounding up possible staff members. This will either vanish with a very quiet poof and University officials saying they always review their options at the end of the regular season or it will move swiftly to an announced deal.

17. Nashville Mayor Resigns After Affair, Pleads Guilty to Theft - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Mayor Megan Barry, a one-time rising star in the Democratic Party with big plans to remake Nashville, resigned Tuesday after pleading guilty to cheating the city out of thousands of dollars as she carried on an affair with her bodyguard.

18. Last Word: Forrest and Slavery, The Tariff Blitz and Angus McEachran - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The report on poverty in Memphis over the last 50 years is on its way to a Greater Memphis Chamber breakfast meeting Thursday. And Terri Lee Freeman, the president of the National Civil Rights Museum and Elena Delavega, the University of Memphis lead researcher of the report, say their message is that as goes Memphis in this regard so goes the nation. And if employers start with lower pay at hiring with percentage raises across the board they feed the racial income gap and bonuses do as well.

19. Last Word: Corker & Blackburn, More Frost and Dale Watson's Move to The Haven - Friday, February 23, 2018

It's possible around City Hall these days to get your RFQs mixed up with your RFPs. And there is a difference in requests for qualifications and requests for proposals. Usually RFQs come before RFPs – but there are exceptions – loopholes. The latest RFQ out of City Hall – album title or t-shirt slogan? – is for the adaptive reuse of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

20. Last Word: Welders & Machinists, MLGW & Trust and Blockchain - Thursday, February 8, 2018

A new report shows jobs in demand in the Memphis area at a time when we are again talking about which expansions and new businesses should be getting incentives and how to get better paying jobs. The annual report by CERT – Center for Economic Research in Tennessee – shows high employer demand for information technology, health care, engineering, business and financial operations and welding.

21. Nashville Probes Use of Public Funds in Mayor's Affair - Thursday, February 8, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A special committee of Nashville city council members will investigate whether there was improper use of public money during Mayor Megan Barry's extramarital affair with the former head of her security detail.

22. Nashville Mayor Admits Affair With Ex-Security Detail Chief - Friday, February 2, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville Mayor Megan Barry said she plans to continue serving in office after revealing that she had an extramarital affair with the former head of her security detail.

23. Last Word: 50 Years Ago, Skeleton Hotel in Court and New Moves on Forrest - Thursday, February 1, 2018

It was 50 years ago Thursday that the event that sparked the 1968 sanitation workers strike happened near Colonial and Sea Isle in East Memphis. City sanitation workers Robert Walker and Echol Cole were killed when the trash compactor on back of their city truck malfunctioned and crushed them.

24. PAC Raises $1.3M to Support Nashville Transit Plan - Tuesday, January 30, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A political action committee has raised $1.3 million to support the transit plan by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry that is up for a vote this spring.

25. Developer Halts Plans After Likely Civil War Graves Found - Monday, January 15, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Developers halted plans Friday for a sprawling entertainment and residential complex in Tennessee after archaeologists discovered what they believe are graves on a site near a Civil War fort built by slaves.

26. Major League Soccer: Nashville Granted Latest Expansion Team - Friday, December 22, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Major League Soccer is expanding its presence in the southeast, awarding Nashville the first of its newest expansion franchises as MLS' 24th team .

Commissioner Don Garber made the announcement Wednesday at a news conference with Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and John R. Ingram, head of the group that will own the team.

27. AP Source: MLS Plans to Announce Nashville Team - Wednesday, December 20, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Major League Soccer plans to announce Wednesday that Nashville will be awarded an expansion team, a person with direct knowledge told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because a public announcement was not authorized.

28. Nashville Mayor Proposes $2.9M in Incentives for Tech Firm - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The mayor of Nashville has proposed about $2.9 million in economic incentives for a health technology company's planned expansion.

According to The Tennessean , Mayor Megan Barry's incentive plan would support an expansion by Philips North America that could yield up to 815 new jobs in Nashville.

29. Nashville City Council Approves Financing for MLS Stadium - Thursday, November 9, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville's bid to land an expansion franchise from Major League Soccer now has $275 million in financing approved to build a new stadium, giving Music City a major boost weeks before a final decision from the league.

30. How Should ‘Good People’ React to Racist Ideology? - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Southern nationalists planning to lead rallies in Murfreesboro and Shelbyville are banking on Republican ideas and protection to spread their views, a burr under the saddle for state lawmakers in the controlling party.

31. Nashville Mayor Presents Stadium Financing Proposal for MLS Bid - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Mayor Megan Barry has proposed a $250 million stadium deal as the final piece in Nashville's bid for a Major League Soccer expansion team.

32. Haslam Less Clear Than Usual On Run for US Senate - Thursday, September 28, 2017

Gov. Bill Haslam usually gives an answer to every question, even if his subjects and verbs don’t agree. But when it comes to a potential run for the U.S. Senate, he stumbles.

In fact, his response was almost inaudible just a week before his pal U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said he wouldn’t seek another term at the end of 2018.

33. Nashville Mayor Decries Anti-Gay Statement Named After City - Thursday, August 31, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville's mayor is denouncing a statement against same-sex marriage that evangelical leaders named after the city.

On Tuesday, Mayor Megan Barry tweeted that the "Nashville Statement" is poorly named and does not represent the inclusive values of the city and people of Nashville.

34. Nashville Revisits $100M Flood Protection After Harvey - Thursday, August 31, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee city will revisit flood protection plans following flooding in Texas from Tropical Storm Harvey, which came ashore last week as a hurricane.

WPLN-FM reports the Nashville Metro Council will meet next month to consider building a floodwall system, a proposition that had been effectively tabled earlier this year. The first batch of funding for the $100 million barrier and pumping system was pulled from Mayor Megan Barry's construction budget in June on a 24-10 vote, over concerns that the plan was too focused on Nashville's urban core.

35. Stronger Penalties Alone Won’t Solve State’s Opioid Crisis - Thursday, August 17, 2017

Rep. Bryan Terry deals with patients from every demographic caught up in the web of opiates.

Patients have an array of tolerance to opioids, as well, from those currently addicted to those who are recovering addicts. As a result, each patient requires an “individualized” anesthetic based on their background and the procedure or surgery they’re to have, says Terry, a Murfreesboro anesthesiologist.

36. 'New Normal': Nashville Mayor Back at Work After Son's Death - Tuesday, August 8, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville Mayor Megan Barry says she's facing a new normal as she resumes her duties about a week after her 22-year-old son died of an apparent drug overdose.

37. Son of Nashville Mayor Dies of Apparent Drug Overdose - Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The only son of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry – whom her office described as "a kind soul full of life" – has died of an apparent drug overdose, and she asked for privacy as she and her husband face life "without his laughter and love."

38. Legislature Losing Some Powerful, Familiar Members - Thursday, July 13, 2017

A shakeup in leadership is looming for the state Legislature, though it may portend more of a change in personalities than party strength.

In the House, longtime Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, the affable Democrat from Ripley in West Tennessee, is preparing for a 2018 gubernatorial run, a move that would knock him out of his House seat, at least temporarily, and the position as Democratic Caucus leader.

39. Micromanaging Nashville is Job 1 for Legislature - Thursday, July 6, 2017

Metro Nashville is used to getting hammered by the Legislature’s Republicans.

Nearly every time the Metro Council tries to come up with a solution to growing problems, conservatives in the General Assembly swoop in and save the rest of the state from Music City’s attempts to better handle its success.

40. Vote Next Week on Nashville Sanctuary City-Like Bid Nixed - Thursday, June 29, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The sponsors of a Nashville "sanctuary city"-like push are canceling next week's final vote.

According to The Tennessean , Nashville Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge said Tuesday they won't hold the July 6 vote. They didn't say whether they will delay or withdraw the proposal.

41. Tennessee, Left Coast a World Apart on Immigration - Thursday, June 29, 2017

San Francisco resident Terry Karlsson relishes her hometown’s reputation for embracing “multi-cultural diversity.”

The wife of a Swedish immigrant, Karlsson says she believes San Francisco’s status as a sanctuary city, one in which it refuses to participate in the enforcement of federal immigration law, reflects a nation born of people who moved here, a land of immigrants from many countries.

42. Memory Foam Maker Sinomax Celebrates Opening of First US Plant - Wednesday, June 7, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Memory foam maker Sinomax Group is opening its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Tennessee.

The 500,000-square-foot plant will formally open its doors in the Nashville community of La Vergne on Tuesday. The facility is expected to create 350 jobs.

43. Law Could Allow Guns at Nashville Bus Hub Used By Schools - Tuesday, June 6, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Police and security guards keep watch as thousands of children zigzag through Nashville's downtown bus hub each morning and afternoon, catching buses between home and school.

44. Amid Trump Orders, Nashville Mulls Sanctuary City-Like Rules - Friday, June 2, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville officials are pushing to adopt sanctuary city-like standards in response to President Donald Trump's policies on immigration.

Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge were surrounded by immigrants, some of whom are in the country illegally, as they made a case for their legislation Wednesday during a news conference in the liberal-leaning capital of Tennessee, a red Southern state.

45. Tennessee Governor Signs NRA-Backed Metal Detector Gun Bill - Monday, May 29, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Many Tennessee city and county buildings, parks and buses will either have to buy metal detectors, hire security guards and check people's bags, or let handgun permit holders bring in their guns, under a law signed Friday by Gov. Bill Haslam.

46. Report: Nashville Needs 31K Affordable Rental Units By 2025 - Thursday, May 25, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A new report from Mayor Megan Barry's office says Nashville's shortage of affordable housing units is projected to rise to nearly 31,000 in 2025 if nothing is done to create new options for low-income residents.

47. MATA Prepares Case for $30M Increase To Fund Bus System Improvements - Friday, April 28, 2017

Probably by the end of the summer, a group pushing for $30 million in additional funds for the Memphis Area Transit Authority will be making the case to the public to raise that dedicated source of funding.

48. Memphis, Nashville Mayors Praise Passage of Haslam’s Road Funding Bill - Thursday, April 20, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland lauded the Tennessee Legislature for passing the IMPROVE Act, including a combination of fuel tax and fee increases designed to improve transportation funding.

49. Memphis Gets Nod for New Hotel Tax, Nashville Having Pipeline Problems - Thursday, April 20, 2017

The state Senate approved legislation enabling the Memphis City Council to consider an ordinance to create a new hotel/motel tax of no more than an aggregate of 5 percent to go toward the city-owned Memphis Cook Convention Center.

50. Memphis Gets Nod for New Hotel Tax, Nashville Having Pipeline Problems - Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The state Senate has approved legislation enabling the Memphis City Council to consider an ordinance to create a new hotel/motel tax of no more than an aggregate of 5 percent to go toward the city-owned Memphis Cook Convention Center.

51. Senate Douses Memphis and Nashville Pot Ordinances - Wednesday, March 29, 2017

State senators are intent on striking down Memphis and Nashville marijuana laws giving police discretion to hand out citations for possessing small amounts of pot.

Despite opposition from Shelby County and Davidson County legislators, the Senate voted 26-5 Monday to clarify that state law overrides local government regulations involving drugs and similar substances.

52. Site of Nashville Sit-Ins to be Restored as Restaurant - Thursday, March 9, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The site of civil rights sit-ins in 1960, the Woolworth building in downtown Nashville, will reclaim its historic look as it becomes a soul food restaurant with live music.

53. Tennessee Leaders Weigh In on Death of Longtime Lawmaker - Tuesday, March 7, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Former Sen. Douglas Henry, a lawmaker with the longest tenure in the history of the Tennessee General Assembly, died at 90 years old on Sunday.

54. Local Democratic and Republican Partisans Already Looking To 2018 - Tuesday, February 28, 2017

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff says former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey was right in describing his 8th Congressional District as the most Republican of the state’s nine congressional districts.

55. Last Word: The Governor's Race, Beale Street Complications and Southern Avenue - Monday, February 27, 2017

A close one for the Tigers Sunday at the Forum but Houston still wins 72-71. One more home game Thursday against Tulane and a road game Saturday against SMU before March Madness begins. As that was happening here, better results in Denver Sunday where the Grizz beat the Nuggets 105-98.

56. Democratic and Republican Partisans Prepare for Next Election - Monday, February 27, 2017

At least five potential Republican candidates for Governor in 2018 were among the crowd of 400 people at the Saturday, Feb. 25, Lincoln Day Gala of the Shelby County Republican Party.

Meanwhile, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry told a group of 150 Democrats at an “Obama Day” event Saturday that they and other Democrats across the state can elect one of their own as governor in 2018.

57. Local Democrats and Republicans Prepare for 2018 Governor's Race - Saturday, February 25, 2017

At least five potential Republican candidates for Tennessee governor in 2018 were among the crowd of 400 people at the Saturday, Feb. 25, Lincoln Day Gala of the Shelby County Republican Party.

Meanwhile, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry told a group of 150 Democrats at an “Obama Day” event Saturday that they and other Democrats across the state can elect one of their own as governor in 2018.

58. The Week Ahead: February 20-26 - Monday, February 20, 2017

Enjoying that spring-like weather, Memphis? It’s another week of politics and music in the Bluff City, highlighted by the anticipated announcement Wednesday of acts that will be playing the Beale Street Music Festival in May. Here are some other highlights:

59. Palazzolo Urges Slower Phase-Out of Hall Tax, More Revenue for Local Governments - Friday, February 10, 2017

Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo wants Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to take his foot off the gas pedal when it comes to phasing out the Hall tax on dividend and investment income. And in a Wednesday, Feb. 8, letter to Haslam, Palazzolo makes a case for local governments getting a greater share of Hall tax revenues as the income tax is phased out.

60. Palazzolo Urges Governor to Keep Hall Tax Phase-Out at 5 Years - Thursday, February 9, 2017

Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo wants Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to take his foot off the gas pedal when it comes to phasing out the Hall state tax on dividend and investment income. And in a letter Wednesday, Feb. 8, to Haslam, Palazzolo makes a case for local governments getting a greater share of Hall tax revenues as the income tax is phased out.

61. Local and State Reaction To Trump Immigration Executive Order - Monday, January 30, 2017

Here is reaction from state and local leaders to federal court orders in four states over the weekend blocking an executive order signed by President Donald Trump Friday, Jan. 27, that restricts immigration and travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. The original order applied to those with green cards and has since been changed to allow those with green cards.

62. Last Word: The Business of Local Sports, Garrison Leaves MATA and Broadband - Friday, January 27, 2017

Marc Gasol makes the NBA’s Western Conference All Star team as a reserve, the first player in the history of the Grizz to make the All-Star Game three times.

Grizz business operations president Jason Wexler asked about Memphis hosting an NBA All-Star Game one of these days at The Daily News Sports Seminar Thursday at the Brooks. Wexler saying the city doesn’t have enough hotel rooms – the same barrier to drawing bigger conventions and meetings to the city.

63. Nashville Mayor Backs Push to Bring MLS Soccer to City - Friday, January 27, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is backing a push to attract a professional soccer team by building a new soccer stadium.

64. Nashville's Music City Center Set for $20M Upgrade - Monday, January 9, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville's $623 million convention center is expecting a $20 million upgrade 3 1/2 years after it opened.

The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/2iNcY5z) that officials are moving forward with Music City Center plans to build a food and beverage outlet and expand the building's exhibit hall and concourse space.

65. Nashville Retimes 550 Traffic Signals to Address Growth - Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Nashville officials have synchronized hundreds of traffic signals to help address the traffic brought on by the city’s rapid growth.

The city says Metro Public Works finished a project earlier this month to re-time 550 signals along 18 major pikes and corridors.

66. Nashville, Memphis Respond Differently to Pot Ordinance Opinion - Monday, November 28, 2016

A legal opinion from the Tennessee attorney general requested by two Shelby County legislators has again put Nashville city leaders in the lead as municipal marijuana ordinances enacted there and in Memphis have taken a turn toward the courts.

67. Council Sets Stage for Final Pot Ordinance Vote - Wednesday, September 21, 2016

With no debate, Memphis City Council members approved Tuesday, Sept. 20, the second of three readings of an ordinance that would allow police officers to write a ticket with a $50 fine for possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana.

68. Why Tennessean’s Mayoral Poll Was a Failure - Thursday, September 8, 2016

When a Nashville newspaper poll showed Megan Barry in a dead heat with David Fox shortly before the 2015 mayoral runoff vote, the Barry campaign refused to panic.

69. Google Fiber Warns It Could Pull Plug Over Nashville Impasse - Wednesday, August 17, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Google is warning that an impasse over access to utility poles could lead the company to pull the plug on its plans to bring its fiber optic broadband service to Nashville.

70. Nashville Law Would Decriminalize Small Amounts of Marijuana - Friday, August 12, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – An ordinance in Nashville seeks to reduce the penalty for people caught possessing or exchanging small amounts of marijuana.

The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/2aBZ0QF) reports that under the new ordinance, people who possess or exchange a half-ounce of marijuana or less would face a civil penalty of $50. A court could also choose to suspend the civil penalty and order 10 hours of community service. Current state law calls for a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year behind bars and a $2,500 fine.

71. Nashville Joins Cities Seeking Major League Soccer Team - Wednesday, August 10, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Some Nashville investors and supporters are making a push for Music City to be among the communities awarded expansion franchises by Major League Soccer.

Bill Hagerty, a former state commissioner of economic and community development, and Will Alexander, the son of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, are spearheading the effort called the Nashville MLS Organizing Committee. It includes a bipartisan group of former politicians and leaders of Nashville-area companies.

72. Red State, Blue Mayors - Thursday, July 28, 2016

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, a Democrat in Tennessee’s sea of red, finds herself adapting to the control Republicans hold over the state Legislature.

73. Tennessee Democrats Laud DNC Role for Transgender Official - Tuesday, July 26, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The first transgender person to be named to a Tennessee government board or commission has been named the official podium timekeeper at the Democratic National Convention.

74. Counseling Group Cancels Conference to Target Tennessee Law - Thursday, May 12, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – By canceling its conference in Tennessee next year, the American Counseling Association wants to put other states on notice that new LGBT laws can carry consequences, the group's leader said.

75. Legislators Playing Expensive Game With LGBT Issues - Thursday, April 14, 2016

The silly season is in full swing on Capitol Hill, but the “bathroom bill” and any jokes surrounding it are no laughing matter anymore. It’s getting downright expensive.

Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery said this week the bill dealing with transgender student use of restrooms could cost the state more than $1.2 billion in federal funds for K-12 and higher education.

76. Nashville Mayor Revokes Election Commission's Credit Card - Wednesday, February 3, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has revoked the credit card privileges of the Davidson County Election Commission and ordered an audit of all charges paid with tax dollars.

77. Deadly Shooting in Chattanooga Voted Top Story of 2015 - Tuesday, December 29, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The fatal shooting of four Marines and a sailor in Chattanooga has been voted the top Tennessee news story of 2015.

Muhammad Abdulazeez, a 24-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, opened fire on a recruiting center and a reserve facility on July 16. The FBI recently described the attack as an act "inspired and motivated by foreign terrorist propaganda."

78. Small Shops, Big Business - Saturday, November 7, 2015

Reese Witherspoon’s flagship boutique, Draper James, opened last week in the 12South area, and the reception was all Nashville.

Musical performances by Lee Ann Womack and Ruby Amanfu kept guests like Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Sheryl Crow, Mayor Megan Barry, Kacey Musgraves and Lily Aldridge entertained while they shopped (perhaps for the holidays?) and milled around the store’s back parking lot, which was transformed into a charming, Southern-style party.

79. Metro Nashville’s Local-Hire Rule Gets Battered On Many Fronts - Saturday, October 10, 2015

The ink wasn’t dry on standards for Metro Nashville’s local-hire charter amendment when new Mayor Megan Barry put the measure on hold – despite sizable support in the August election.

80. Rideshare Service Lyft to Locate Operations in Nashville - Friday, October 2, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A San Francisco-based rideshare service is investing more than $5 million to locate its new operations in Nashville and create 380 jobs in Davidson County.

Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd announced this week that Lyft will locate its customer experience operations in the Music City.

81. Tenn. GOP Senator Looks To Block Nashville's Local Hire Rule - Tuesday, September 15, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Williamson County senator who endorsed the losing candidate in the Nashville mayor's race last week has filed a bill seeking to nullify a local hiring requirement approved by the city's voters.

82. Barry Elected 1st Female Nashville Mayor, Dashing GOP Hopes - Monday, September 14, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Megan Barry's election as Nashville's first female mayor dashed Republican hopes of making inroads in one of the few remaining Democratic strongholds in Tennessee.

83. Republicans Hope Fox Can Break Democratic Grip on Nashville - Thursday, September 10, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A closer-than-expected mayor's race in Nashville has Republicans hoping they can grab one of the last remaining major elected offices in Tennessee that has eluded their grasp amid a statewide GOP wave.

84. Nashville to Vote in Mayor's Race Featuring Heavy Spending - Thursday, August 6, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The seven candidates vying to become Nashville's next mayor have spent a combined $12.5 million on their bids — the equivalent of $43 for every registered voter in Music City.

85. Archer-Malmo Starts 2015 with Batch of Hires - Saturday, February 7, 2015

Memphis-based advertising agency archer-malmo has added 10 new hires to its ranks.

They include Samantha Blake and Dianna Davis on the account service team; Ben Colar, Megan Schmitt and Barry Wolverton on the creative side; Jeff Janovetz, Madeline Otto and Jonah Westbrook to digital; Cheryl Mathis to accounting; and Lisa Hawkins to media.

86. Old Favorites - Saturday, February 7, 2015

A few years ago, Tandy Wilson, chef and owner of City House, offered this tip about earning his respect as a diner: Don’t tell me you’re a foodie, he said, tell me you’re a “regular.”

We were having a conversation about overuse of the term “foodie,” and how even though it can be a well-meaning label to show a person’s interest in a particular topic, it also can carry the snobbish weight of those who salivate over the trendiest dishes – and then salivate over their keypads to type a Yelp review after just one visit.

87. Archer-Malmo Starts 2015 With Batch of Hires - Friday, February 6, 2015

Memphis-based advertising agency archer-malmo has added 10 new hires to its ranks.

They include Samantha Blake and Dianna Davis on the account service team; Ben Colar, Megan Schmitt and Barry Wolverton on the creative side; Jeff Janovetz, Madeline Otto and Jonah Westbrook to digital; Cheryl Mathis to accounting; and Lisa Hawkins to media.

88. Rosa Becomes GM at Holiday Inn-Wolfchase - Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Chris Rosa has been named general manger of the Holiday Inn and Suites Memphis-Wolfchase. Rosa will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the property. He previously served as vice president of operations for Equity Estates, general manger at the Sheraton Meadowlands and area manger of the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta. Rosa also has been named General Manager of the Year by Patriot American Hotels and Hotelier of the Year by the Connecticut Hospitality Association.