Latest news with #JeffPreptit
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE and THP operation a ‘targeting of Black and Brown motorists in Nashville,' Metro Council member says
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Metro Councilmembers representing South Nashville are responding to Sunday's 'public safety operation,' saying the traffic stops are an example of racial profiling designed to instill fear in the community. 'These are our neighbors. These are our small business owners. These are our laborers. These are people who help to make Nashville what it is, and to see our federal government constantly attacking some of the most vulnerable people in our community, is beyond infuriating,' Metro Council member Jeff Preptit told News 2. Metro Councilmember Prepti said the operation is a 'direct targeting of Black and Brown motorists' and poses a threat to the American Dream. PREVIOUS: Immigrant rights groups report ICE activity in Nashville While the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) says their operation was based on data involving serious crashes and gang-related activity, Metro Council member Ginny Welsch says she believes the traffic stops were pretextual and aimed toward a specific group. 'This is the lowest hanging fruit that you can look at someone and on the outside decide there's a good chance they might be X, Y, or Z, and we're going to take this action against them. It's unconstitutional, it's immoral, it's unconscionable, and it cannot be accepted or tolerated in a civil society,' Welsch told News 2. Sunday's operation comes just one day before the Trump administration rolled out a plan to offer undocumented immigrants $1,000 if they self-deport. ⏩ 'It's designed to be shocking and frightening so that people will remove themselves from situations, maybe self deport…It's designed to put fear in people's lives and to let people know that the big hand of the government can come down and snatch your life away from you in a heartbeat,' Welsch added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Historic zoning reorganization clears final Nashville Council hurdle
A bill placing Metro Historic Zoning Commission staff under the purview of the Planning Department has cleared its final Metro Nashville Council hurdle. At Tuesday's council meeting, the group voted 24-11 to approve the bill on its third and final reading, with District 25 Council Member Jeff Preptit abstaining. Council members Zulfat Suara, Ginny Welsch, Russ Bradford and David Benton were absent. With that approval, the ordinance will take effect on July 1. The bill initially called for folding both the Historic Zoning Commission and Metro Historical Commission into planning, but the final version keeps the Historical Commission a separate entity. Though the Historic Zoning Commission's staff will report to the executive director of the Planning Department, the commission itself will retain its current voting powers and authority. The bill also had a public hearing at Tuesday's meeting, which comes with an opportunity for an unlimited public comment period rather than the 20-minute window allotted for each meeting. Several dozen Nashvillians spoke at Tuesday's meeting, and more than 30 members of that group were opposed to the bill. Some of them argued that the process had moved too quickly and without enough public input. Others said the public hearing should have taken place sooner so council members would have the ability to propose and consider amendments to the bill. Typically, the last opportunity to amend or substitute council bills is on its second of three readings, unless the rules are suspended. Besides the local bill, there's still legislation working through the process at the state level that could further affect historic zoning decisions. The Tennessee bill aims to curb historic zoning commissions' authority in "tourism development zones." There are several throughout the state and one in Nashville, with boundaries covering the entire downtown area. The Senate and House versions of that bill currently are awaiting committee approval. The House version is listed on the calendar for the Cities and Counties Subcommittee on Wednesday. After that, the bill will be eligible for a final vote in both chambers before it can move on to the governor's desk. At their last meeting, some Nashville Council members voiced concern that failing to move forward with a local bill quickly enough could open the door for state lawmakers to preempt Nashville through legislation of their own. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Historic zoning reorganization clears final Nashville Council hurdle
