Author: dgposey

Nashvillians offer welcoming embrace to Muslims

dgposey Leave a comment

Many Nashvillians were heartened to see the welcoming messages to Muslims at the Islamic Center of Nashville:

The sidewalk outside the Islamic Center in 12 South was covered in chalk messages like this.

The Islamic Center is located in 12 South, where people have been drawing and writing encouraging messages on the sidewalk.  “It really made my whole day. It really makes you understand and remember how good our community is down to it’s [sic] core,” Tamanna Qureshi, a member of the center’s board, told The Tennessean.

The words and drawings stretched down the sidewalk:

Add a Comment

Fire department does all the unusual animal rescues today

dgposey Leave a comment

The Nashville Fire Department got called out to a aid a few hapless pets today.

First, there was #ElectionDayParrot:

Then, wanting a little attention for himself, #DrainPipeKitty tumbled three stories down a gutter drain pipe and got stuck there.  But an alert neighbor heard the cat and summoned her local firemen to dig the cat out:

The unlucky cat’s name is Thomas Jefferson, which is a perfect segue into the Election Day conclusion to this story:

Add a Comment

Hume Fogg students lend spoken word poetry to pedestrian safety

dgposey Leave a comment

A group of students at Hume Fogg is fed up with Nashville’s poor track record in pedestrian safety.  A student group, Stop! Take Notice, formed to do something about it after the December 2013 death of their classmate in a crosswalk outside their school.

For a few years now, students have been fiercely advocating for better pedestrian safety around the city, including the passage of the Elena Zamaro Memorial Act which (slightly) stiffened the penalties for seriously injuring or killing a pedestrian in a crosswalk.  The student group has also installed eye-catching art around downtown to try to raise awareness among drivers about pedestrian safety.

And just a few weeks ago, the student group released an excellent video featuring a spoken word poem by former classmate Lagnajita Mukhopadhyay and videography by recent graduates Arif Bashar, Jonathan Warkenitin, and some of their classmates.  It’s well worth a few minutes of your time:

Add a Comment

Nashvillians turn out for a car-free 12th Ave S

dgposey Leave a comment

On a warm Sunday afternoon, the citizens took over the street again, reclaiming it from the cars.  The police blocked off a 2.3-mile stretch of 12th Ave S — from 11th Ave S in the Gulch to Kirkwood Ave in 12 South — for Nashvillians to enjoy the street by foot, bicycle, skates, unicycle, pogo stick, and more on October 30.

Community organizations turned out to set up displays and games, such as this giant Jenga:

dsc_0247.jpgAnd this giant map of Nashville, showing where (and how) people had come from to get to the open street:

dsc_0255.jpg

In 12 South, folks ambled along the street, enjoying the sunshine:

And then there was this guy, who converted his bike into a TIE fighter:

dsc_0249.jpg

The parade started early in the afternoon at Halycon Bike Shop, and yes, they had pumpkin spice this-and-that:

dsc_0251.jpg

There was even dancing in the streets, ’cause, hey, no cars:

Add a Comment

Titans Game to screw up Thursday afternoon rush hour traffic

dgposey Leave a comment

With a Tennessee Titans game scheduled for a 7:25 PM kickoff tomorrow at Nissan Stadium, authorities have decided to seal off some downtown streets and bridges at 4 PM.  The Woodland Street bridge will close at that time to everybody but pedestrians and shuttle buses (and, one presumes, bikes).  MTA buses that normally use that bridge are instead being redirected to the James Robertson Pkwy and Jefferson St bridges.

Additionally, the Korean Veterans bridge will close to car traffic heading into East Nashville as the game nears its end.  There are other MTA routes that will be on detour for (apparently) all day Thursday, but it’s not clear from the city’s press release what other streets will be closed.

Add a Comment