Latest news with #MiddleTennesseans
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nashville Catholic Charities announces layoffs due to federal funding cuts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Nashville announced it will undergo a major restructuring due to recent federal funding cuts to the U.S. refugee resettlement program. 'In recent months, federal actions have severely weakened the national resettlement infrastructure,' said Judy Orr, executive director of Nashville's Catholic Charities. 'When our national partner, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, ended its participation in the program, it became clear that we could no longer sustain this work locally, even if refugee admissions were to resume at previous levels.' Tennesseans losing millions of dollars through investment scams As a result, Orr said the organization will lay off 51 staff members through mid-September and also close their 'New Americans' program. She added that they are expecting more layoffs in the coming weeks because of the concurrent loss of ancillary overhead funding tied to these federal programs. 'Compounding these challenges is the high cost of living in the Nashville area, particularly the lack of affordable housing,' Orr said. 'For years, federal stipends to support refugee housing and basic needs have remained unchanged, even as local expenses have continued to rapidly rise.' Catholic Charities clarified that it will continue to operate the Tennessee Office for Refugees, which administers the state-wide refugee resettlement program under a federal contract, as a separate unit. ⏩ Nashville's Catholic Charities said it served 26,000 people facing poverty, housing instability, and other urgent needs in 2024, and that the demand is constantly growing. 'We remain committed to serving Middle Tennesseans in crisis through our expanding network of Family Resource Centers and satellite offices,' Orr said. 'Though our work will look different moving forward, our commitment to the most vulnerable remains as strong and steady as ever.'For more information, visit Nashville Catholic Charities' website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Public broadcasting cuts would strike blow to Tennesseans' news and information
Healthy communities stand on a foundation of trust. Trust springs from knowing your neighbors and their concerns, knowing that officials and institutions are honest and reliable, and knowing there are forums where your voice can be heard. Trustworthy information is vital in emergencies. Trustworthy journalism is essential when change comes so fast it's hard to keep up. For decades, Nashville Public Radio has earned Middle Tennessee's trust by delivering independent journalism, emergency services, and civil conversations about issues that are important to all of us. Always for free. Always in the public interest. Filling gaps that commercial media cannot address. Now, though, both WPLN News and our new music discovery station WNXP are at grave risk. The White House wants to eliminate federal support for public media. Congress is expected to vote soon on a proposal to eliminate funding which would represent about five percent of Nashville Public Radio's budget. This funding helps sustain our emergency news coverage, local watchdog reporting, and shows like "Morning Edition," "This Is Nashville," "All Things Considered" and Marketplace. These cuts would deliver a devastating blow to public media nationwide, and to the local news and information, that hundreds of thousands of Middle Tennesseans rely on. Now is the time to speak up for public media. Talk to your friends and family about the value public media brings to your life and your community. Raise your voice by contacting your representatives in Washington. Go to to find easy links. A free, independent press is essential to a healthy democracy. Together we can keep Nashville and Middle Tennessee strong. Steve Swenson is president and CEO of Nashville Public Radio. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: White House wants to kill federal support for public media | Opinion
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Organizers: Nashville Symphony fundraiser nets record $960K for education, programming
In its 20th year, the Nashville Symphony Fashion Show reached a historic crescendo in fundraising with a record-breaking $960,000 raised for education and community engagement programs. The fashion show was held April 29 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, featuring a runway show of the fall and winter 2025 collection by American eveningwear designer Pamella Roland. A performance by Vince Gill was considered a highlight of the show, Hall Strategies director Nancy Floyd said in a statement via email. The event welcomed about 650 guests to the Schermerhorn Center. Floyd said $660,000 of the proceeds raised will serve more than 60,000 students and adults this year. The programs funded included: Young People's Concerts, dynamic live orchestra performances and lesson plans tailored for K-12 students that reach thousands of students each year Free Community Concerts, which take place each summer in parks across the region, connecting the Nashville Symphony with tens of thousands of Middle Tennesseans Classroom visits from Nashville Symphony musicians to inspire students and introduce them to live orchestral music Hands-on instruction and mentorship for local music students, including side-by-side performance experiences And the Nashville Symphony's groundbreaking Accelerando program, which provides music instruction and mentorship to Tennessee students. The program prepares highly gifted young performers to pursue careers in music, and provides opportunities for musicians from diverse backgrounds who are underrepresented in today's orchestras. Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@ and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Report: Nashville Symphony fundraiser nets record $960K for education
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
17-year brood of cicadas set to emerge in Middle Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Middle Tennessee will soon get a little noisier thanks to a 17-year brood of cicadas set to emerge. Brood XIV, which Middle Tennesseans will start to see between late April and early May, last emerged in 2008. '[The cicadas getting ready to emerge] are found approximately eight inches deep. When the temperature there reaches like 64 degrees Fahrenheit and when there is a good rain, is when we'll start seeing them emerging,' Dr. Midhula Gireesh, an assistant professor & extension entomologist with the University of Tennessee, told News 2. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → When they emerge, they will shed their exoskeletons within a few hours. That's when the loud singing they're known for starts — and that sound is tied to mating.'All this can be around like four weeks to six weeks maximum,' Gireesh said. 'Once the egg-laying process is done, the adults die off.' Cicadas lay their eggs in the new growth of trees, specifically younger ones. However, local horticulturists say not to worry too much.'You might see a little bit of die back, browning, whatever — but it's not going to kill a whole tree,' Austin Lohin, a horticulturist with Bates Nursery and Garden Center, said. 'Honestly, even a small tree rarely ever dies because of cicada damage.' ⏩ Last year's brood brought about one million cicadas per acre. While it's unclear exactly how many will emerge this year, the brood will be in about a dozen other states. Cicadas are relatively harmless — at least to humans and pets. They don't bite or sting and they can't transmit disease. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Waymo to test driverless cars on Nashville roadways
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Driverless cars could soon be rolling on the streets of Nashville as the rideshare service Waymo will test the technology in Music City this week. Nashville now joins the list of more than a dozen testing cities for Waymo's autonomous vehicles. Customers will be able to download the app and select pickup and dropoff locations like other rideshare services. Once the car arrives, you'll be able to unlock the door with your phone; cost will depend on where you want to go. Waymo to begin testing autonomous vehicles in Nashville The vehicles use a combination of software and sensors — like cameras, radar and LiDAR — that help them understand their surroundings. However, there have been mixed reactions from Middle Tennesseans about whether they would actually get in one.'If in need, yes, I'll trust anything because I have the lord on my side,' Crystal White said.'I've gotten into Ubers before [and] it's basically the same thing,' Chase George said. The fully electric vehicles are available in several cities 24/7, including Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. In Nashville, Waymo leaders recently met with city officials to discuss the first phase of testing, which includes a driver behind the wheel to map complex parts of the city's roads. Late last year Waymo teamed up with Uber in two major city cities to allow Uber users to pick a self-driving car. Some rideshare drivers said Waymo may present a tricky situation for those who rely on the app to make money if it comes to the city permanently. ⏩ 'You're pretty much your own business owner,' Monique McClain, a Nashville rideshare driver, told News 2. '…It's basically saying, 'We don't care. This is bringing in money to our city, so you'll have to either take it or find you another career.'' Waymo has not announced when cars will be fully available for Nashville customers. but the first phase of mapping the city is expected to last six weeks. News 2 reached out to Waymo for comment on visiting Nashville — but representatives were not available to speak as of publication. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
