Rutherford County turns purple, flipping three statehouse seats to Democrats
Of the six Tennessee statehouse seats that flipped to Democrats, half were in Rutherford County.
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Nashvillager Podcast: The fragile power of free and fair elections
What’s at stake the day after an election? Plus, the local news for November 4, 2026.
Democrats win full control of Congress, ushering in a new era of divided government
The U.S. Capitol is seen behind a light pole, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Tennessee elects Blackburn as first female governor by thin margin
Marsha Blackburn delivers her victory speech as Tennessee’s first governor at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Tennessee voters approve Marsy’s Law, adding more victims’ rights
Tennesseans voted to add more victims’ rights to the state constitution, passing Amendment 3, known as Marsy’s Law. The amendment clarifies existing victims’ rights regarding restitution and notifications on criminal proceedings and release dates. And it adds new rights regarding parole hearing notifications and…
Democrats flip seats in Tennessee legislature for first time in eight years
A Memphis voter casts their ballot at the Anointed Temple of Praise Christian Church polling location on Nov. 3, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Kevin Wurm)
‘Nashville Guardians’ monitor polls for signs of voter suppression
Margaret Akers is a volunteer with the Guardians of Democracy, a nonpartisan organization that monitors polling sites for signs of voter suppression or intimidation.
Nashville turnout appears brisk
Nashville voters are motivated and turning out to the polls, according to John Richardson, administrator of elections in Davidson County. “We’ve noticed a strong, steady turnout at the 178 polling locations,” he told WPLN News. Some voters have been concerned about intimidation or technical problems at polling…
Tennessee election results: Blackburn wins governor’s seat, constitutional amendments pass
People wait in line to cast their ballots at the Nolensville Recreation Center.
Nashvillager Podcast: Election Day
How do election days work in Tennessee? Plus, the local news for November 3, 2026.
Nashville’s Metro Council cut by half in high court ruling
District 7 Metro Councilmember Emily Benedict Nashville’s Metro Council has had 40 members but will need to be reduced. A state law won a legal challenge at the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Judge pauses Tennessee policy denying driver’s licenses to certain immigrants
Karen, a volunteer with Unión del Barrio, an organization advocating for immigrant rights, takes part in a pre-dawn patrol in San Diego, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, to search for and alert neighborhood residents to the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Nashvillager Podcast: Putting a woman in the governor’s office
What happens when a Tennessee politician goes rogue? Plus, the local news for October 16, 2026.
How region’s unregulated raw milk industry bypasses oversight
Newly packaged gallon of raw milk
What to expect in Tennessee on Election Day
President Donald Trump, left, greets Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., at a campaign rally on Oct. 10 in Clarksville.
Nashville’s trim to the grocery tax takes effect
Metropolitan Government of Nashville City Hall on Public Square.
These are the House races to watch in the 2026 midterm election on Nov. 3
Voters wait to cast ballots at South Inglewood Community Center on Oct. 29, 2026.
NPR special: 5 takeaways from a year of listening to swing voters
People cast their ballots on the first day of early voting for the US midterm elections, in New York, on October 24, 2026. (Photo by Ryan MURPHY / AFP via Getty Images)
Tennessee early voting lower than 2018 gubernatorial race, Williamson County leads turnout
Faith leaders from Nashville Organized for Action and Hope marched in Nashville’s Bordeaux neighborhood to encourage others to vote early.
Christa Pike says she’s in constant pain and blames her failed execution on ‘incompetence’
Christa Pike is currently slated for execution in Tennessee in September. Christa Pike says she is in constant pain since surviving a lethal injection in Tennessee last month.
NashVillager Podcast: A spooky story, plus today’s local headlines
Looking for the Old Louisville Demon Leaper, hearing from Josh Gilligan, and the news for Oct. 30, 2026.
The Old Louisville Demon Leaper’s mischief in one of America’s largest Victorian neighborhoods
The Walnut Street Baptist Church is located at the corner of South Third and St. Catherine streets.
Tent revivals and sports bars: on the campaign trail for Tennessee District 9
Republican Brent Taylor, left, and Democrat Justin J. Pearson, right, face off for Memphis’ newly redrawn congressional district.
How one Tennessee gubernatorial candidate proposes full funding for TSU
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green attended Tennessee State University’s homecoming parade earlier this month to campaign for the midterm elections. If she’s elected as governor she vows prioritize making sure the state’s HBCUs are properly funded.
NashVillager Podcast: Two cryptid tales from Dickson County, plus today’s local headlines
On this day in 1998, a 77-year-old astronaut returned to space. Plus, the news for Oct. 29, 2026.
Inmate’s escape is just the latest problem for Tennessee’s troubled prison system
This image provided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shows a truck, allegedly stolen by escaped Tennessee inmate Jacob Morley, left in a shopping center parking lot in Marion, Ill.
‘The Addams Family’ at Analog brings taste of Broadway to West End Avenue
Off Broadway at Hutton Hotel presents “The Addams Family In Concert” for Halloween weekend (Oct. 30 and 31).
Kinder Morgan plans 150-mile methane gas pipeline through Tennessee
Enbridge is building a 120-mile pipeline to supply the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston gas plant under construction near Knoxville. The pipeline has a diameter of 30 inches.
Toll lane operator promises Tennessee $140B over 50 years in new agreement
I-24 and Bell Road, looking north toward Nashville
Memphis congressional candidate Brent Taylor won’t say how many times he sent unsolicited nudes
Brent Taylor answers reporter questions while walking into a GOP campaign rally on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
NashVillager Podcast: Today’s local headlines and What Where Whens-day
The latest local news roundup for Oct. 28, plus What Where Whens-day.
Truck stolen by escaped Tennessee inmate is found abandoned in Illinois, authorities say
This booking photo released by the Tennessee Department of Corrections on July 24, 2025, shows Jacob Morley.
Republicans are spending millions and still may not win districts drawn to favor them
GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 20: North Carolina Republican Congressional candidates, State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom and Laurie Buckhout (R) are embraced by U.S. President Donald Trump after speaking during an election rally at Pitt-Greenville Airport on October 20, 2026 in Greenville, North Carolina. President…
NashVillager Podcast: Launching Clarksville’s airport
A brief history of how Clarksville became the site of a regional airport? The latest local news roundup for Oct. 27, 2026.
Downtown Nashville generates a big tax surplus. The mayor hopes to nudge the group deciding how to spend it.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell speaks at the unveiling of a historic marker at the Nashville Public Library North Branch on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Dollar General is sued by the FTC and 20 states over ‘deceptive’ pricing
FILE – Children ride their bicycles to the Dollar General store, Aug. 21, 2025, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Nashville SC clinches trophy, No. 1 seed in MLS Playoffs
Nashville SC has clinched the No. 1 seed in the MLS Playoffs.
NashVillager Podcast: 100 Oaks anniversary, local headlines and HealthQ
The latest local news roundup for Oct. 26, 2026.
Faith leaders urge voter turnout in Bordeaux and Edgehill neighborhoods
The interfaith group Nashville Organized Action and Hope (NOAH) marched in Nashville’s Edgehill neighborhood on Saturday to encourage others to vote early.
Amid financial turmoil, whiskey maker Uncle Nearest seeks a buyer
A bottle of Uncle Nearest whiskey, with a gold foil seal of the Tennessee Tri-Star, pictured outdoors in front of early fall foliage and a blue sky.
NDOT will ban right turns on red lights at these Nashville intersections
The Nashville Department of Transportation will ban right turns at red lights at a handful of intersections, after a broader ban proposal was withdrawn from Metro Council.
Tennessee joins ‘Bird City’ network to conserve species, habitat
The Nashville Warbler is a songbird that migrates through Tennessee in between Mexico and Canada.
Fears over ballot switches spread every election. Here’s what Nashville is doing about it
People vote in a primary election Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Trump merchandise stores are closing: ‘He has peaked’
The Trump Store in Bensalem, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb, closed early this year amid falling sales.
Nashvillager Podcast: Jere Baxter
Who was Jere Baxter? Plus, the local news for October 23, 2026.
Tennessee paid $1M for lethal injection drugs; concerns rising about past botched executions
In this April 5, 2017 photo, an exhibit at the Texas Prison Museum shows the three-chemical mixture used by Texas prison officials for lethal injections in the state from 1982 until 2012, when it was replaced by a single drug. Tennessee was using a three-drug protocol when an independent investigation found the state…
The Boring Company is digging under Music City Center. Greater sinkhole, pollution risks lie ahead
The Boring Company photographed rock in front of a tunneling machine in Nashville, Tennessee.
The late Country Music Hall of Famer John Anderson was a singular voice
John Anderson performs at the ceremony for the 2013 inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
At Tennessee District 5 forum, Hatcher rescinds debate promise
GOP District 5 Candidate Charlie Hatcher addresses the crowd at a candidate forum in Spring Hill on Oct. 21, 2026.
At Michelin Guide’s Nashville ceremony, a local Mexican restaurant earns a new honor
A spread of food from the Maiz de la Vida truck at Chopper in 2021
After Christa Pike’s failed execution, some Americans think Tennessee should try again
Christa Pike is currently slated for execution in Tennessee in September. Photo 2: Christa Pike at hearing in 1996 – Knoxville News Sentinel
Remember this acronym next time you’re facing a big medical decision: B.R.A.I.N.
Illustration by Maria Fabrizio for WPLN and KFF Health News
Nashvillager Podcast: Edward Gaylord
Who was Edward Gaylord? Plus, a feature on an alternative protein for those with alpha-gal syndrome.
The legal and political implications of Blackburn’s ‘Not Like Us’ AI video
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn addressed the Hamilton County GOP on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.
Voters are fed up with data centers. Both parties are trying to cash in for midterms
Democrats and Republicans have found common ground in this campaign season. Both parties have poured millions into ads attacking data centers as the public continues to protest the AI facilities.
Public backlash against data centers is rising. Politicians are playing catchup
Public sentiment against data centers is running high this election season, leaving politicians of all stripes scrambling to respond. We look at how this is playing out in Pennsylvania.
Tennessee’s next governor might not break 50% as independent gains traction
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn addresses the crowd at a GOP “Get Out the Vote” rally in Chattanooga on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.
Nashvillager Podcast: Cora Howe
Who was Cora Howe? Plus, the local news for Oct. 21, 2026.
Nashville Public Radio Jam – November 05th, 2026
Calling all Nashville improvisers! Nashville Public Radio is hosting its first-ever Improv Jam on Thursday, November 5, from 6–8pm at the station, and you’re invited! Expect two hours of games, scenes, and a lot of laughing alongside Nashville’s improv community. Whether you’ve been performing for years or have never…
Trump promised a swing district blitz. He’s going to a lot of very red states
US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona on October 14, 2026. President Trump is headlining the midterm campaign rally with US Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ).
When the White Bluff Screamer and a werewolf preyed in the Tennessee darkness
The tale of the werewolf starts with a circus train crash in the 1860s.
Checking in on Nashville school security after the shooting in Oregon
Metro Schools has added resource officers in recent years, largely paid for by state grants.
The real reason it’s going to take a while to know who won in some midterm races
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 05: Election workers process ballots for the California state primary election at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center on June 05, 2026 in City of Industry, California. The U.S. Department of Justice sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot counting in Los Angeles…
Data centers and wetlands: where Tennessee’s District 9 candidates stand on the environment
State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis (left) and state Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis (right).
Nashvillager Podcast: Adolpho Birch
Today, the story of the namesake of the A.A. Birch Criminal Justice Building.
Rise in alpha-gal syndrome has some Kentucky businesses turning to exotic red meat: ostrich
Alpha Roost Farms in Danville, Kentucky raises ostriches to sell their meat as an alpha-gal-friendly red meat option.
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway racing will go to voters as 2027 ballot measure
This aerial rendering shows concept for a renovated Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
Nashvillager Podcast: Silliman Evans
Who was Silliman Evans? Plus, the local news for October 19, 2026.
One year in, has the Memphis Safe Task Force made the city safer?
FILE – Members from the National Guard working as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force conduct a community safety patrol at Tom Lee Park, Oct. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
Suspicious package destined for Tennessee elections office intercepted by authorities
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating several suspicious mailings sent to election offices around the country.
Nashvillager Podcast: Political treason?
What happens when a Tennessee politician goes rogue? Plus, the local news for October 16, 2026.
Republicans and Democrats find a unifying target: pharmacy benefit managers
Amye and Charlie Joseph of Elizabethton, Tennessee, are on opposite sides politically but have a shared disdain for pharmacy benefit managers, known as PBMs.
Blackburn promotes coal, nuclear while Green vows to protect rivers, forest and farmland
Tennessee gubernatorial candidates Jerri Green and Marsha Blackburn are divided on data centers, energy and environmental issues.
Nashville voter turnout 15 times higher than last midterm so far
Early voting location at Lentz Public Health Center, Nashville.
Worried about the mix of meds you’re taking? Start a conversation with your doctor
Illustration by Maria Fabrizio for WPLN and KFF Health News
Nashvillager Podcast: Mail service
How is postal service intertwined with the development of Nashville? Plus, the local news for October 15, 2026.
TSU leaders say playing home football games at Nissan Stadium makes financial sense. Here’s why.
Hale Stadium at Tennessee State University is mainly used for football practices. It’s been nearly thirty years since TSU held regular football games here.
Flock cameras are dividing Tennessee towns. Here’s the split in Murfreesboro.
FILE – A Flock Safety license plate reader is seen along a public road, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
911 recordings show why ambulance was delayed after Pike’s failed execution
Emergency vehicles arrive at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution after the execution of Christa Pike was halted on September 30.
4 tales from Tennessee election history to read during early voting that may surprise you
The NashVillager podcast rounds up four of the most influential and insightful election stories from Tennessee's history.
Nashvillager Podcast: How Tennessee became a supermajority state
Will this election change the balance of power in Tennessee? Plus, the local news for October 14, 2026.
Nashvillager Podcast: Food dye, the legality of caffeine, and barrels of Coca-Cola
Why did an early trial into the safety of caffeine play out in a Tennessee courtroom? Plus, the local news for October 13, 2026.
Tennessee Amendment 3 gives voters say on Marsy’s Law and expanded crime victim rights
Mourners honor the four victims killed in a mass shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch on April 22, 2018.
Nashvillager Podcast: Tennessee, death penalty test case
How is the world talking about the failed execution of Christa Pike? Plus, the local news for October 12, 2026.
Tennessee Amendment 1 asks voters to change bail rules
Mayor Karl Dean, Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall and Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson announced plans to move the jail and downtown operations from the Criminal Justice Center to Harding Place and to relocate the Metro Nashville Police Department headquarters to Jefferson Street April 21, 2015 in…
Trump makes rare Tennessee appearance ahead of early voting
President Donald Trump addresses a crowd of supporters at a midterm rally in Clarksville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026
Does My Vote Even Count? WPLN public event addresses concerns about voting process
WPLN hosted a public conversation about the voting process on Oct. 6th. WPLN hosted a public conversation about the voting process on Oct. 6th.
Christa Pike is discharged from a hospital after surviving execution attempt, her attorneys say
Christa Pike, TDOC photo, January 2023 Christa Pike, TDOC photo, January 2023
Drugs in jars, bags of cash: Tennessee ignored warnings from Arizona’s botched executions
Retired Judge David Duncan poses for a photo at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. Courtney Pedroza for NPR
GOP Sen. Bill Hagerty faces Memphis Democrat Marquita Bradshaw in rematch
Democrat Marquita Bradshaw, left, and Republican Bill Hagerty are again facing off for the U.S. Senate seat Hagerty won in 2020.
Tennessee became the face of the nation’s deadliest 21st century explosion one year ago
A woman holds a candle vigil honoring the victims of a blast at an explosives plant, Accurate Energetic Systems, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Waverly, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The evolution of country music videos | Key Changes
From left: interviewer Allison Moorer and Trey Fanjoy in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater; photo credit: Jewly Hight
Nashvillager Podcast: From world’s fair to federal prison
How did the Butcher Brothers’ greed put a Tennessee city in the spotlight and land them behind bars? Plus, the local news for October 9, 2026.
Christa Pike is walking with help and eating after failed execution attempt, her attorneys say
Luke Ihnen, attorney for Christa Pike, speaks during a news conference after a judge ruled the Tennessee Department of Correction must preserve all evidence related to the failed execution of Pike, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Christa Pike survived a failed execution. So did 7 other inmates in recent decades
Mounted law enforcement officers are seen outside Riverbend Maximum Security Institution before the planned execution of Christa Pike, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Nashville.
Trying to execute Christa Pike again would push into uncharted legal territory, experts say
Attorneys for Christa Pike hold a news conference after a judge ruled the Tennessee Department of Corrections must preserve all evidence related to the failed execution of Pike, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn.
Man with a gun and knife is fatally shot by security at Nashville federal courthouse, police say
Law enforcement responds to a shooting at the federal courthouse on Thursday in Nashville.
The Boring Co. prepares new tunneling site for Music City Loop
The Boring Company prepares for tunnel construction in Nashville on Feb. 24, 2026.
Nashvillager Podcast: What now?
Where does a failed execution put Tennessee in regards to the death penalty? Plus, the local news for October 8, 2026.
The sometimes-awkward art of asking for a second opinion
HealthQ hosts Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer