⚡ Speed Read

• The number of chronically homeless people in Nashville increased 43% in a year after the Metro Council approved $50 million to address the problem.

• ‘Illegally sourced artifacts’ will be removed from Nashville’s Parthenon and sent back to Mexico if the Metro Council approves.

• South Nashville just joined the list of proposed WaWa locations in Nashville.

• Plus: transforming a ghost mall, new apartments, burger restaurant expansion, and a restaurant score in the 50s

🚨 43% increase in Nashville’s chronically homeless… in just a year

Is Nashville’s homeless strategy working?

More than a year after the Metro Council approved $50 million for housing and support services, two data points suggest the problem is getting worse.

Chronically homeless people (people with a disability or illness who’ve been homeless for a year or more)

Number of people who experienced homelessness in a month

“We don’t have enough [housing] inventory,” explained Dr. Marvin Trotter with Metro’s Office of Homeless Services. Not a surprise considering a recent report that you need a $142,000 salary to buy a home in Nashville.

In the meantime, Metro’s closure of homeless camps — as it’s done in Bellevue, Downtown Nashville, South Nashville, and Hermitage — appears to be on pause. “We wouldn't close the camp if we didn't have places to send people,” Trotter said.

What’s next? The Metro Council will vote Tuesday on where to send some of its $50 million set aside to address homelessness.

• $436,000: emergency hotel rooms for families with kids.

• $1.5 million: grants to non-profits to offer support services

🏛️ ‘Illegally sourced artifacts’ set to leave Nashville’s Parthenon

“Mexico Is Ramping Up Its Efforts to Repatriate Its Lost Pre-Columbian Heritage”

Turns out, some of that lost heritage is in Nashville’s Parthenon.

Metro received 244 “Pre-Columbian artifiacts” — ancient objects discovered after the arrival of Christopher Columbus — from donors in the 1960s and 1970s.

“According to the archival paperwork, some artifacts were acquired during amateur and undocumented excavations in Western Mexico mostly done by John Montgomery,” according to a Metro document. “The artifacts donated by Edgar York have no documentation regarding their origin.”

“Because these are illegally sourced artifacts, these artifacts will be shipped to the Government of Mexico where the artifacts were sourced,” the document said. The Metro Council is set to give final approval on Tuesday.

Deeper dive:

• Other museums are sending artifacts back to Mexico.

• Mexico has moved to stop auctions of artifacts, saying its heritage is not for sale.

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🏗️ A WaWa for South Nashville

I just found plans for another WaWa location in Nashville — in addition to locations in Bellevue and Antioch. This one is part of a project with 72 residential units at Holt Road and Nolensville Pike.

I’ve never visited a WaWa, but a former roommate from Pennsylvania raved about it. So do plenty of articles on Google. “The food is actually really good,” according to Food & Wine.

Plans filed for the South Nashville location don’t say when it could open. The project still needs Metro approval. However, WaWa has said it will open its first store in Middle Tennessee in 2025.

More growth: transforming a ghost mall, new apartments, and a burger chain expands

• Monday: Goodlettsville’s planning and zoning commission will vote on re-zoning to allow a mixed-use development on part of the Rivergate Mall property. It includes a hotel, more than 300 housing units, and retail. The former Macy’s store would be torn down to make room for the development.

• More than 100 townhomes and nearly 100 houses proposed in Antioch at 5788 Cane Ridge Road

• Plans filed for about 250 apartments in Hermitage at 3728 Central Pike

• “Don’t ask for lettuce and tomato,” says the website for Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint. A waiter quickly corrected me when I made that mistake at the Edgehill location. I probably won’t go back because I need the flavor balance that comes with vegetables, but you can try it later this year at a new location planned in Green Hills on Bandywood Drive.

🤠 Roundup of other news

• Every type of crime is up compared to last year in the Metro Police Department’s West Precinct, which covers West Nashville and Bellevue. That includes a 123% increase in auto theft and nearly 9% increase in violent crime.

• Cicada Safari’s “sightings” map is lit up in Nashville. How long will we have the crunchy shedded skeletons and noise? My research shows anywhere from three to five weeks.

🍲 Restaurant inspections

• 58 - Hard Rock Cafe - 100 Broadway - View report

• 61 - Nashville Underground Kitchen - 105 Broadway - View report