Lawmakers last week confirmed Dwight Tarwater to serve on the state’s highest court starting this summer.
Tarwater will replace outgoing Justice Sharon Lee upon her retirement Aug. 31. Justice Lee announced in November that she would retire from the Tennessee Supreme Court after serving on the bench since 2008, when she was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen.
Justice Lee is the only remaining justice on the five-member court to be appointed by a Democrat after Justice Cornelia Clark died in 2021.
Tarwater has been a partner at Knoxville-based Paine, Tarwater, Bickers, LLP. He previously served as former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s chief legal counsel.
Gov. Lee selected Tarwater for the job early last month.
The governor’s selection required confirmation by state lawmakers. Republicans have supermajority control in both legislative chambers.
Supreme Court justices face “yes-no” retention elections every eight years.
Additionally Thursday, lawmakers confirmed the governor’s pick of Matthew Wilson to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. Wilson has served as an assistant federal prosecutor in the Western District of Tennessee.
Wilson fills a vacancy created by the death of Judge John Everett Williams.
Lime chooses Nashville for seated-scooter pilot
Lime has launched a new vehicle pilot in Nashville, deploying a fleet of its new seated scooters for the first time anywhere in the world. The fully-motorized scooters feature a storage compartment to help riders carry more items.
The seated scooter combines the seated comfort of a bike with the effortlessness of an e-scooter, resulting in a smooth, convenient and environmentally-friendly ride. Lime will review data from the pilot and continue to refine its shared vehicle offerings globally with lessons from Nashville.
Lime is launching this pilot as it celebrates its best year ever in terms of global ridership in 2022. In Nashville, ridership increased 27% from 2021 to 2022. Lime recently launched a fleet of Gen4 e-bikes as part of Nashville’s bikeshare pilot.
BNA opens expanded cellphone waiting area
Nashville International Airport is opening a new, larger cellphone lot to meet passenger demands, provide ample space for travelers and alleviate the traffic congestion around the roadways, including traffic from I-40.
The new cellphone lot will provide 240 parking spaces, which is 250% larger than the current lot. The current cell lots will be blocked off in preparation for construction for roadway enhancements.
The new cell lot is at 1415 Murfreesboro Road, approximately 3 miles from the main BNA terminal, with an average drive time of five to seven minutes.
The new cell lot will have digital flight information display systems that display real-time updates on incoming flights.
11 counties eligible for winter storm aid
Eleven Tennessee counties will receive federal recovery assistance as a result of the severe winter weather that affected the state Dec. 22-27.
The 11 counties include Cocke, Coffee, Davidson, Greene, Henderson, Knox, Maury, Perry, Putnam, Shelby and Washington.
The major disaster declaration allows eligible county jurisdictions to seek reimbursement, through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, for emergency response measures, and the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure.
Winter Storm Elliott was a cross-country storm that brought subzero temperatures to Tennessee, resulting in over 306,000 customers without power during its peak. As temperatures warmed, burst pipes and loss of water pressure resulted in many boil water advisories across the state.
Redfin: Median rent up 1.7%; Nashville up 9%
The median U.S. asking rent rose 1.7% year over year to $1,937 in February, the smallest increase in nearly two years and the lowest level in a year, a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage, reveals. Rents were up nearly 10 times that much (16.5%) a year earlier.
Nashville had the fourth highest percentage gain in February 9.0%, trailing Charlotte, North Carolina (14.3%); Columbus, Ohio (12.6%); and Milwaukee, Wisconsin (9.5%).
February was the ninth consecutive month in which rent growth slowed on a year-over-year basis. Rents fell 0.3% from a month earlier. Still, the median asking rent remained 21.4% higher than it was in February 2020, the month before the coronavirus was declared a pandemic.
Rent growth has cooled as persistently high housing costs, inflation, recession fears and a slowdown in household formation have made people less likely to move, putting a damper on demand for new leases.
A jump in supply due to a boom in apartment construction has also contributed to the slowdown in rent growth. The number of apartments under construction is up 24.9% year over year to 943,000, the highest level since 1974, according to a recent report from the National Association of Home Builders.
Novatech acquires Chattanooga firm ACT
Novatech, the nationwide managed office provider has announced the acquisition of ACT Business Machines, a Tennessee-based business technology provider specializing in managed print, copiers/printers, IT services and cloud technologies.
For more than five decades, ACT Business Machines has been focused on delivering world-class business technology products and services to the Chattanooga area business community.
ACT Business Machines will take on the Novatech name and branding over the coming weeks.
Getaway announces retreat planning services
Getaway, the leading health and wellness hospitality company on a mission to make space in the world for free time, announced a new way to escape to nature with the launch of Getaway Retreats.
During a time when group travel is on the rise, Getaway Retreats offer curated group experiences at Getaway Outposts nationwide, inviting large groups and corporate partners to reconnect in nature with customizable itineraries, full-service experiences and interactive workshops.
Getaway’s Nashville-area Outpost features tiny cabins on 415 acres in the forest outside Moss, about a two-hour drive northeast of Nashville near the Kentucky border.
Getaway Retreats take the planning stress off the booker by offering a personalized experience matching guests’ unique needs and budgets. The latest service is offered in partnership with Mint Collective, an immersive event company which will facilitate experiences for Getaway Retreats.
Hermitage Hotel makes list of historic locations
Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing, celebrating, and promoting the finest historic hotels in the United States, has announced The 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America in Film and Television History List.
Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel made the list not only for its appearances in film and television projects over the years, but also as a destination for celebrities and movie makes visiting the city. The list notes a story about when silent film star Charlie Chaplin arrived at the hotel’s front desk carrying a custard cream pie, which had been presented to him earlier by a fan.
Guests of these hotels can retrace the steps of many movie makers and film stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Alfred Hitchcock through the storied lobbies and guest rooms, and stand in the same historic places that brought unforgettable characters like Tarzan, Amy March, and Luke Skywalker to life.
TDEC allots $1.3M loan for Smyrna water
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has announced a $1.3 million loan for the town of Smyrna to improve water infrastructure.
The loan is one of two approved by the Tennessee Local Development Authority, with loans for Smyrna and Kingsport totaling $8.3 million.
The loan for the town of Smyrna comes from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program and will address infiltration and inflow correction within the wastewater collection system. The loan has a 20-year term at 2.95% interest.
Through the State Revolving Fund Loan Program, communities, utility districts, and water and wastewater authorities can obtain loans with lower interest rates than through private financing. These low interest rate loans can vary from zero percent to below market rate, based on each community’s economic health.
Tennessee’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program has awarded more than $2 billion in low-interest loans since its inception in 1987. The state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program has awarded more than $300 million in low-interest loans since its inception in 1996.
New resource aids
in finding treatment
A new substance abuse treatment locator website from the Tennessee Department of Health is now available at FindHelpNowTN.org. This site links individuals directly to care and help if they are struggling with a substance use disorder.
FindHelpNowTN.org guides individuals to location-based openings and services available at substance use treatment facilities. Site users can search facility listings using as many as 60 features such as the type of treatment needed, insurance programs, payment methods and availability of wraparound services.
Treatment facilities on FindHelpNowTN.org regularly update their availability of residential, inpatient and outpatient services. Since site users also can access a facility’s contact information, they can reach out immediately for treatment.