AltWeeklies Wire
Homeless are the Forgotten Victims in Nashville Floodnew
In a natural disaster, they say, all zip codes are equal. Be that as it may, Nashville's homeless people are likely to suffer more than most from the flood.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
05-05-2010 |
Disasters
Tennessee's Religious Right Draws a Bead on Doctor-Patient Confidentiality for Teensnew
Conservative Christians have found a new cause celebre in the state legislature: Denying teens the right to doctor-patient confidentiality.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
05-22-2009 |
Civil Liberties
Despite a Spate of Murders, the Tennessee Legislature Rushes to Liberalize Gun Lawsnew
Less than 24 hours after an Alabama killing spree, Tennessee's House Judiciary Committee passed a bill allowing handgun permit holders to ride around with loaded rifles and shotguns in their vehicles.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
03-20-2009 |
Policy Issues
Tags: gun control, Tennessee
Tennessee Republicans Think $2.13 an Hour Is Adequate Paynew
State House Democrats are attacking Republicans for opposing an increase in the minimum wage for hardworking waitresses.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
03-13-2009 |
Economy
Tags: Tennessee, minimum wage
Tennessee Gov. Considers Turning His Back on the Unemployednew
Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen says he may turn down millions of dollars in federal stimulus money rather than expand unemployment benefits in ways that many other states did long ago.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
03-05-2009 |
Economy
If Not for a Special Election, English Only Would Have Prevailed in Nashvillenew
It's heartening that the Nashville's progressives seem able to stop daydreaming about love and harmony long enough to run an effective campaign. But not by any stretch is this the dawning of a new day or a crippling blow to intolerance in our city.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
01-30-2009 |
Policy Issues
No Fix in Sight for Tennessee's Flawed Death Penalty Systemnew
After a 2007 study, the American Bar Association called for a moratorium on executions in this state until the system is fixed. Of the ABA's 93 recommended guidelines, Tennessee complies with only seven.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
10-03-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Nashville School Resegregation Threatens a New Generationnew

The black-white educational achievement gap is already yawning in Nashville, and the city's black leaders are convinced a rezoning plan will exacerbate that.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
08-29-2008 |
Education
Evangelicals Get Worked Up Over Microchipsnew
After losing the usual fights against gays and abortion during the legislative session so far, Christian conservatives suddenly have decided to start standing up for privacy rights in an urgent, new movement to ensure that you will never be forced to have a microchip implanted under your skin.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
03-21-2008 |
Civil Liberties
Tags: civil liberties
Outlawing the Poornew
Nashville's new class war pits the down-and-out against up-and-comers and their powerful allies.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
02-22-2008 |
Policy Issues
Tags: public policy issues
Examining the Machinery of Deathnew
Tennessee's governor is defiant, but executions could stop for months while courts decide constitutionality of lethal injection.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
10-01-2007 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice
Tennessee's 'Certain Hubris' Toward Execution Protocolsnew
During four days of testimony, lawyers successfully painted Gov. Phil Bredesen's much-vaunted review of lethal injection procedures this year as a sham whose basic purpose was, not to ensure that executions are humane, but to help the state survive court challenges.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
09-24-2007 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice
Even Lunatics Can Get Firearms in Tennesseenew
The dangerously mentally ill can buy guns in Tennessee in violation of federal law -- no questions asked -- because the state doesn't send their names to the FBI national instant background check system.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
05-18-2007 |
Policy Issues
Tags: public policy issues
'Marijuana Martyr' in Lockdownnew
Bernie Ellis, Nashville's cause celebre of the medical marijuana movement, has been placed in virtual lockdown at a halfway house in an apparent attempt to quell publicity surrounding his plight.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
05-04-2007 |
Drugs
Tags: Drugs
Marijuana Martyrnew

Bernie Ellis gave comfort to the sick and dying -- for that crime, the government means to take everything he's got.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
04-27-2007 |
Drugs
Tags: Drugs