Julianne Akers🦦
@julianneakers
Reporting on state & metro politics, legal news, higher ed + much more for @ & @nashvillescene.com. Southeast Georgia native, occasional critic, always pondering. Reach me at jakers@fwpublishing.com 🗣️
Still feeling a little delirious after leaving the courthouse at 2:00 a.m. this morning, but I can’t stop thinking about this moment from the Nashville Metro Council’s public hearing on data center regulations.
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson - both Republicans - have introduced their proposed congressional map to be debated during this week's special session.
Tennessee Senate schedule and committee assignments for tomorrow. ⬇️
Day 1 of Tennessee’s special session to redraw its congressional maps has wrapped, and tensions are high at the Capitol.
Protests over restricting in Memphis began outside of Cordell Hull Office Building in downtown Nashville this morning.
Sine die from me and the celebratory pizza courtesy @dpatrickrodgers.bsky.social 🍕
Walking into the Tennessee State Capitol on the last day of legislative session vs. the first day.
A few particularly jarring education statistics from Metro Social Services' annual community needs evaluation report.⬇️
Here on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives, which is expected to take a vote on a bill to expand the state’s school voucher program. ✏️
The Metro Council has officially passed a non-binding resolution that opposes The Boring Company’s Music City Loop tunnel project in Nashville.
Going on hour 5 of tonight’s Metro Council meeting. A commercial overlay along Buchanan street and redevelopment of a scrapyard in the East Bank have dominated much of the night’s discussion.The council is now debating a resolution opposing The Boring Company’s Music City Loop.
State Sen. Charlane Oliver and Metro Councilmember Delishia Porterfield’s town hall surrounding The Boring Company’s Music City Loop tunnel project is set to start in a few minutes.
Back in November, they estimated about 60 mph. www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithint...
I — and I know many of the other news outlets in Nashville — have reached out to The Boring Company with questions about the Music City Loop and received no response. At yesterday’s committee meeting, they essentially said they won’t be talking to reporters. www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithint...
More than 100 protestors gathered outside of Tennessee State Museum tonight as state lawmakers and other top leaders in Tennessee politics — including Gov. Bill Lee and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn — attended a private reception to kick off this year’s legislative session.
Here on the Senate floor for the first day of the 2026 legislative session in Tennessee. ✍️
Sometimes your top song of the year is a 2015 cover of James’ 1993 pop rock hit “Laid,” and I think that’s beautiful.
Scenes from today’s #NoKings rally in Nashville where thousands gathered on the hill of the Tennessee State Capitol to protest Trump administration policies.
This story has been updated to include excerpts from an email Kimbrough sent to her constituents today.⬇️
Tonight’s highly debated rezoning ordinance for The Nations has passed the Metro Council on second reading.
The State Building Commisison will convene at 8 a.m. today to consider leasing a downtown parking lot for purposes related to the Music City Loop airport-to-downtown tunnel plan by Elon Musk-owned The Boring Company.
A group of community members are here at the Metro Courthouse in protest of a warehouse proposal near a quarry in Antioch, which would tear down 23 acres of woodlands. Residents cite concerns of air pollution and harm to wildlife. Council is expected to take a final vote on the proposal tonight.