The honky tonks of Nashville’s Lower Broadway should not become casualties of the city’s success. With property tax bills surging, many of the venues that made Music City famous could be forced to close, killing a living piece of American culture.
From Loretta Lynn to Morgan Wallen, from the Grand Ole Opry to Elvis Presley recording at RCA Studio B, Nashville has exported a distinctly American culture to the rest of the country and the world. That culture reached my own family in New York long before I ever visited the capital of Tennessee. My grandmother listened to the WSM Barn Dance, the radio program that eventually became the Grand Ole Opry, and my mother grew up watching “Hee Haw.”
I saw why that legacy matters on a recent visit to Nashville with my wife and two sons. It was only my second trip to Music City, but an afternoon at The Stage on Broadway listening to country classics confirmed what millions of Americans already know: Nashville is a special place that carries something distinctly American that spans generations.
That is why Nashville&#8217;s ongoing property tax fight, which threatens the very businesses and institutions that made Lower Broadway the heart of Music City, matters to people far beyond Davidson County.
The numbers show what happens when rising assessments translate into dramatically higher tax bills. Acme Feed &amp; Seed&#8217;s annual property tax bill reportedly jumped from roughly $129,000 in 2024 to nearly $600,000 in 2025. Honky Tonk Central&#8217;s reportedly increased from about $81,000 to $348,000 over the same period, while Kid Rock&#8217;s Honky Tonk climbed from roughly $209,000 to $765,000.
Layla Vartanian, owner of Layla&#8217;s Honky Tonk, said her taxes increased by roughly three and a half times. Without reform, <a href="https://fox17.com/fox-17-investigates/legendary-lower-broadway-owner-says-property-taxes-could-ruin-nashville">she warned</a>, &#8220;this whole block would be wiped out.&#8221;
Recently, I met with Broadway honky tonk owners, entrepreneurs, business owners, policymakers, media leaders, advocates, and community stakeholders at the Detroit Cowboy restaurant to hear their concerns firsthand. The message was unmistakable. The property tax increases hitting Lower Broadway are an immediate threat to the businesses that built Nashville&#8217;s reputation. When costs rise this fast, doors can close quickly.
In my introductory political science course, I was taught an old lesson from Chief Justice John Marshall&#8217;s opinion in McCulloch v. Maryland: the power to tax involves the power to destroy. That warning feels particularly relevant in Nashville today. When tax policy makes it impossible for the institutions that built Music City to survive, government is no longer supporting a community. It is dismantling it.
Those concerns were only heightened when Nashville Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell was asked whether the city would step in as Acme Feed &amp; Seed faced possible closure because of its property tax increase. &#8220;It&#8217;s not up to me whether he keeps that business open,&#8221; <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/acme-feed-and-seed-property-tax-hike-nashville-mayor-freddie-oconnell-comments-broadway-davidson-county-tennessee-lawmakers-social-media-outrage">O&#8217;Connell said</a>. &#8220;The market evolves. New businesses start even as beloved old businesses close.&#8221;
But property taxes are not some outside force. They directly affect whether someone can afford to keep a business open. City leaders may not personally close the doors, but they can make it impossible to keep them open.
The question facing Nashville is simple and ironic: Should the people who create a city&#8217;s prosperity be able to remain in the city they helped build, or should they be priced out by the very prosperity they brought to life?
The neon lights of Lower Broadway do not stay on by themselves. They are kept alive by real businesses, many of them family businesses that do not operate on Fortune 500 margins. When taxes and assessed property values rise faster than those businesses can handle, the lights go out quickly.
This is the trap. Lower Broadway is valuable because honky tonks, live music venues, and local businesses turned it into a destination. But once that success drives up market values, the tax system begins to treat the home of country music like just another real estate asset.
On paper, a parcel may look more valuable because of what the market might pay for it. In reality, the honky tonks are not operating on hotel, luxury development, or corporate complex margins. They made Lower Broadway worth more, and now that value is being used against them.
We would be worse off if Lower Broadway were replaced by high-end retail, national chains, and businesses that could exist in virtually any American city. On Lower Broadway, the Apple Store feels out of place among the honky tonks, live music, and neon signs that made the street famous. But the greater danger may be even worse than a different kind of business moving in. If taxes keep climbing, Nashville could end up with empty storefronts and dark stages where honky tonks once brought country music lovers together.
Nashville now stands at a crossroads. One path prioritizes the people, businesses, and institutions that built Music City. The other allows them to be priced out by policies that fail to recognize their value.
The people who built Nashville deserve the chance to remain part of the city they helped create. It is time for state leaders to protect the businesses that keep Music City alive and answer John Rich’s call: “Be a honky-tonk hero.” Make Waylon Jennings proud.
***
Kyle Davis is an Advisor in the Coalitions department of the Heritage Foundation.

Nashville, Broadway.

Nashville Needs A Honky Tonk Hero

freddie o'connell

honky tonk

lower broadway

nashville

opinion

property tax

Country music legend Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday in a private service attended by family and close friends, with her estate announcing Monday that plans are already underway for two major public celebrations of the larger-than-life star&#8217;s legacy.
Two events, both titled &#8220;DollyFest: The Celebration of a Lifetime,&#8221; will take place on successive weekends — one in Nashville and another in London, England — in 2027.
Parton&#8217;s estate <a href="https://www.dollyparton.com/news/dollyfest-the-celebration-of-a-lifetime-star-studded-two-day-festival-honoring-dolly-parton-to-take-place-in-2027">announced</a> that even before Parton&#8217;s death on Tuesday, her team had already been planning on hosting DollyFest in Nashville in 2027. Parton herself had planned to participate, but the estate confirmed on Monday that the event will carry on in her memory instead.
&#8220;What was originally planned as a multi-artist event for January 2026 in Nashville and intended to feature Parton as performer and host will now morph into a global double-day, double-weekend, double-continent party of a lifetime,&#8221; the estate said.
Danny Nozell, Parton&#8217;s longtime business partner and founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said Parton did not want a public funeral and said that instead, DollyFest would allow her fans to celebrate her life: &#8220;As far as a traditional memorial goes, that is not something Dolly wanted.&#8221;
&#8220;What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life. Many people behind the scenes know that DOLLYFEST is a dream of Dolly’s that was intended to take place on her 80th birthday in Nashville,&#8221; Nozell added. &#8220;We had the venue booked and we had the announcement ready to go. And then, in August 2025, Dolly had to take a step back after her initial health challenges. A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, DOLLYFEST is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!).&#8221;
&#8220;We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose &#8230; it feels more appropriate for us to take a beat, let all the tributes that immediately make sense occur naturally, and then, see through this festival-style concept that was truly dreamed up by Dolly,&#8221; Nozell concluded. &#8220;This is something that is authentic to her, something that feels right to me, and something that artists and fans around the world can participate in, while also giving everyone time to grieve, and giving everyone time to plan.&#8221;
Parton passed away on Tuesday after a brief battle with an undisclosed cancer. She was 80.

Dollyverse Powered By Blockchain Creative Labs on Eluv.io Music Festival Showcase – 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals

Dolly Parton’s Estate Announces Two-Continent Celebration Of Her Life

Dolly Parton's Estate Announces Plan To Celebrate Her Legacy

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entertainment

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Bright Side: This One’s For The Queen Of Country Music

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Dolly Parton died Tuesday following a &#8220;brief battle with cancer,&#8221; her representatives revealed after her death was announced and as fans <a href="https://x.com/JWheelertv/status/2092387189170586010?s=20">gathered outside her Nashville home</a> to mourn the loss of one of country music’s most beloved stars.
A spokesperson for the 80-year-old icon confirmed the previously undisclosed diagnosis in a statement to <a href="https://people.com/dolly-parton-died-after-a-brief-battle-with-cancer-her-team-confirms-12067930">People Magazine.</a> The specific type of cancer was not disclosed.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” the statement read.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement added.
The Tennessee-born singer was hospitalized on Friday and died four days later at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirmed her death in an Instagram video. 
“But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus,” Seaver said.
Parton’s death follows a period of growing health concerns. Fans were alarmed in September 2025 when she postponed a scheduled six-night Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace. True to form, Parton eased the disappointment with humor, joking that she needed a “100,000-mile check-up” — and clarifying that it didn’t involve her plastic surgeon.
Four days before her death, she opened up to <a href="https://people.com/dolly-parton-shares-health-update-while-announcing-plans-for-museum-exclusive-12065750">PEOPLE</a> about her recent health struggles.
“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over [her late husband] Carl,” Parton told the outlet.
President Donald Trump ordered American flags flown at half-staff nationwide for one week beginning Tuesday evening in honor of the philanthropist and country music icon.
“Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away. This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
At Parton’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-world-loves-you-trump-orders-flags-to-half-staff-for-dolly-parton?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98The+World+Loves+You%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Orders+Flags+To+Half-Staff+For+Dolly+Parton">The Daily Wire</a> reported. The family is asking that, instead of flowers, people donate to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Parton will <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/08/25/celebrity-news/dolly-partons-funeral-plans-revealed-after-her-death-at-age-80/">reportedly</a> be laid to rest beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum — dressed in her signature high heels.

Day 3 – Glastonbury Festival

Dolly Parton’s Cause Of Death Revealed

cancer

death

donald trump

At least two women remain paralyzed and two others were injured after a pharmacy error led to all four being injected with the wrong drug prior to planned surgeries.
All four patients, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/nashville-hospital-medication-error-leaves-patient-paralyzed-routine-surgery-3-others-hurt">according</a> to Fox News Digital, were being prepared for joint replacement at Nashville&#8217;s Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown when a pharmacy error led to potassium being injected into their spines instead of the anesthetic they were supposed to receive.
Kristina Dorton says her mother-in-law, <a href="https://www.wowt.com/2026/08/20/family-says-medication-mix-up-hospital-left-72-year-old-paralyzed-least-4-patients-impacted/">Glenda Dorton</a>, 72, was paralyzed and has no feeling from her chest down after the injection — and that she knew something was wrong as soon as she woke up: &#8220;She was having a reaction; she was itchy. She said her whole body was burning, and she couldn&#8217;t feel her legs.&#8221;
According to the family, the knee replacement surgery was a success — but the complications resulting from receiving the wrong medication is going to have lasting impact.
&#8220;The joint replacement went wonderful. Her knee is great. The rest of her is not,&#8221; she told WKRN-TV, &#8220;It was supposed to be the anesthetic. It was supposed to be bupivacaine, and it was potassium, and we don’t know what quantity &#8230; We don’t know what recovery looks like or if there is recovery.&#8221;
&#8220;This is life-changing. You don’t come out of this without some type of life-altering, catastrophic deficit,&#8221; Dorton added, saying that nothing the doctors have tried so far has worked.
Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, president and CEO of the hospital, released an official statement following the tragic mishap.
&#8220;Our hearts are with the four patients and their families impacted by this event. On behalf of our leadership and care teams, I am deeply sorry for the harm caused to our patients,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We have met directly with each of the families to express our deep support, connected them with spiritual care teams and ensured they have access to all appropriate resources and ongoing care needed.&#8221;
&#8220;Providing safe, high-quality care is at the core of everything we do, and any gap in meeting that standard receives our immediate, uncompromising attention. The day of the event, we self-reported to state regulators and launched a thorough investigation. We identified the cause and have implemented corrective safeguards,&#8221; she added.
Citing patient privacy concerns, the hospital has not provided any details about the conditions of the three other patients affected — including the second woman reported to be paralyzed.
The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission&#8217;s investigating the hospital, as is the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Doctor hold syringe prepare for injection,Epidural analgesia,Epidural nerve block, spinal block,Health care concept.

Two Paralyzed After Hospital Injected Patients With Same Drug Used In Executions

Patient Paralyzed After Hospital Staffers Gave The Wrong Drug Before Surgery

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Audio from the 911 call related to the death of “Nashville” actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, shows that she was discovered unresponsive from an apparent cardiac arrest.
According to a report from entertainment site <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/17/hayden-panettiere-found-dead-by-a-friend-inside-greenville-home/">TMZ</a>, law enforcement received a call about an “unresponsive female” at 1:51 p.m. Sunday and were dispatched to a Greenville, South Carolina apartment. Responding paramedics administered “advanced cardiac life support” but were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempts to revive her.
Law enforcement officials stated that there was “no sign of foul play,” but said that an autopsy would be conducted on Monday to determine cause and manner of death.
Fans are still reeling from the unexpected death of the 36-year-old actress, which was announced late Sunday night. Panettiere had just released her tell-all memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” earlier this year. Her death occurred 5 days before her 37th birthday.
The former child star began acting in commercials when she was just 11 months old and later transitioned to films and television shows. Panettiere was best known for her breakout role as Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader with healing powers, on the NBC superhero series “Heroes.”
She later earned two Golden Globe nominations for her co-starring role in the drama series “Nashville.” The Hollywood star also landed major roles in other movies such as &#8220;Remember the Titans,&#8221; &#8220;Raising Helen,&#8221; &#8220;Ice Princess,&#8221; and &#8220;Scream 4.&#8221;
Panettiere had a younger brother, Jansen, who died suddenly in February 2023 at the age of 28 from cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) coupled with aortic valve complications.
In 2014, the “Heroes” star gave birth to a daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere detailed having severe postpartum depression and addiction following the baby’s birth and ultimately signed over full custody to Klitschko so that she could seek treatment.
The actress said that at the time, she was not capable of caring for her child — and said that because Kaya already had an established life in Klitschko’s native Ukraine, the move was in her best interest.
More recently, Panettiere was involved in an on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson, a real estate agent and aspiring actor, from around 2018 until 2022. During that time, he was arrested multiple times for domestic violence against her, first in 2019 and again in February 2020 in Wyoming, where he reportedly punched her in the face. The first charges were later dropped.
In July 2020, he was arrested in Los Angeles, where Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and was sentenced in 2021 to jail time, four years of probation, domestic violence classes, fines, and a multi-year protective order.
In her memoir, Panettiere described the relationship as traumatic, detailing how verbal arguments escalated into physical abuse. She said she found it “<a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/hayden-panettiere-calls-brian-hickerson-incident-embarrassing/">very embarrassing</a>” as someone who saw herself as a strong and resilient woman.
Panettiere also recently revealed several incidents during her career involving unwanted sexual advances from major Hollywood directors and actors when she was in her late teens. She said a trusted friend led her into what felt like a trap involving a “very famous” naked man while she was out on a boat.
“The fact that I was 18, even though I’d lived such a huge life and I thought I was oh so mature at 18 … scientifically, our frontal lobes don’t develop until we’re what, 25, 26?” Panettiere told podcast host Jay Shetty of the incident during a May interview, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-star-says-she-was-lured-into-dangerous-situation-with-very-famous-naked-man">reported</a>. “So even though I felt like I could make healthy decisions, safe decisions, I wasn’t capable of being fully aware of what was going on around me.”
“It wasn’t until I found myself in predicaments that I realized — my perspective completely shifted, and I realized that I was in danger,” she went on. “But by the time I’d realized I was in danger, I was quite literally out to sea.”
“It took me by surprise,” Panettiere added. “It was somebody led by somebody that I had grown to trust and see as a protector and somebody who had my back.”
The actress detailed her addiction struggles in her memoir, noting how doctors told her she would be dead in five years if she didn’t stop drinking. Panettiere most recently spent eight months in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction in 2020.

Hayden Panettiere

911 Call Reveals New Clue In Hayden Panettiere’s Shocking Death At 36

celebrity death

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heroes

Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for roles in &#8220;Nashville&#8221; and the NBC drama &#8220;Heroes,&#8221; has died at the age of 36.
A representative for the actress <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/16/us-news/actress-hayden-panettiere-dead-at-36-report/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">confirmed the news</a> on Sunday in a statement delivered first to ABC News: &#8220;It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.&#8221;
Panettiere had been very open in recent years about her history of substance abuse and her battle with postpartum depression — and had just published her memoir, &#8220;This Is Me: A Reckoning,&#8221; in May.
The actress was raised in New York by her parents, actress and producer Lesley Vogel and Alan Lee “Skip” Panettiere, a retired New York City Fire Department captain — and she landed her first acting gig at just 11-months old.
&#8220;My introduction to acting was actually at 11 months old,&#8221; Panettiere said during a 2023 interview with <a href="https://www.etonline.com/hayden-panettiere-dishes-on-her-biggest-roles-from-a-wendys-commercial-to-remember-the-titans">Entertainment Tonight</a>, referencing a Playskool Toy Train commercial. &#8220;I don’t know if that would really be an introduction to acting, because I don’t think acting was involved at that point. I didn’t have lines, I was just playing.&#8221;
Panettiere went on to land guest roles on several soap operas and other shows like &#8220;Law &amp; Order: SVU,&#8221; but it was not until she landed the role of Claire Bennet — the indestructible cheerleader on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Heroes&#8221; — that her career really got off the ground.
When &#8220;Heroes&#8221; ended in 2010, Panettiere landed another series — &#8220;Nashville&#8221; — that ran from 2012 to 2018.
Her on-again, off-again relationship with heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko lasted from 2009-2011 and 2013-2018. They had one daughter together, Kaya, who was born in 2014.
Panettiere had a younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who passed away in 2023 due to cardiomegaly — an enlarged heart — and aortic valve complications. He was 28 years old.
No cause of death has yet been reported for the actress.

Actress Hayden Panettiere Dead At 36

arts

Upstream_Rascal Flatts-1

Weekend Plans With Rascal Flatts Frontman Gary LeVox

folds of honor

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August is supposed to be fully clear of Pride month, according to the calendar. But when I popped by a popular harvest festival in my neighborhood, it looked like summer had surrendered to the rainbow flag.
Picture a sweet 3-year-old girl wearing a green tutu and glittery stickers clapping alongside a parade of high school marching bands writhing to Penthouse-style routines, at the instruction of male choreographers who stepped out in full faces of makeup. At the same moment, a (drunk?) man I didn’t know made a joke by purposely touching my backside after I apologized for accidentally bumping into his. An eye for an eye. He said he was sorry. I’m an adult; I said it was fine. 
What was happening? This was a freaking vegetable festival at 9 a.m. on a Saturday. Calm down, Nashville. 
An hour later, EDM blared from a popular gay bar as a tomato red disco ball glimmered in the sunlight. A couple running their homemade gelato cart tried to make the best of the heart-thumping beat spilling onto the street. Small children looked on as revelers dressed in booty-baring festival garb gathered with friends. At least the bar got the memo on the theme. The Bloody Marys and micheladas on the cocktail list featured tomato-ish ingredients.
Fifteen minutes in, things were going off the rails. 
Every August, the historic Five Points neighborhood in East Nashville cranks its eclectic spirit up to an 11 for the <a href="https://www.tomatoartfest.com/">Tomato Art Fest</a>, a two-day event that goes all in on the savory fruit. Now in its 23rd year, the official motto declares the tomato as “A Uniter, NOT A Divider! Bringing Together Fruits &amp; Vegetables.” But I’ll be the judge of that.
Just like the first time I voted for Obama, I was filled with hope. (Leave me alone — I’m a tomato fest survivor.) After moving to the state several months ago, I was desperate to dive into local tradition. And how cute! A festival based on the season’s harvest. Coming from the dirty, soulless streets of Los Angeles where I learned that “stronger together” means “every man for himself,” I imagined a cozy farmers market-style craft fair with tomato-focused foods from local farmers. Fried green tomatoes! Wood-fired pizza! Gazpacho! Weird heirloom varieties we never see in stores! Tomato ice cream! Tomato beer! A blue ribbon for whoever can grow the biggest tomato! The Hallmark Channel works.
Instead, the few ripe tomatoes I saw all day were strung together as a necklace by a guy in a t-shirt that used to be white. Bless his heart. (I’m learning.) Call me crazy, but acai bowls, mac and cheese, and barbecue aren’t exactly screaming “tomato fest.” 
Per usual for a warm weather celebration, the “all are welcome here” crowd turned out. In reality, the unspoken guest list for this kind of party is pretty restrictive. But please enjoy social bonus points for having a thing for fishnets, vodka sodas, socialism, and an insatiable need to get away to Palm Springs. You seem fun.
I got a hot dog (they were out of ketchup) and watched an LGBTQ marching band squawk its way through a song the Girl Scout troop parading behind them would have played better, even if they had to form a band from scratch on the spot. Several trans-identifying men passed by me in the crowd. I handed one of them a paper fan I wasn’t really using. We smiled at each other. He was kind. Would he hate me for writing a feature on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/weekend-plans-with-chloe-cole-detransitioner-and-child-advocate?author=Lauren+Bair&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Weekend+Plans+With+Chloe+Cole%2C+Detransitioner+And+Child+Advocate">Chloe Cole</a> for work? Are we all really welcome here, like, with our thoughts and everything?
You know those neighbors who keep Christmas trees up all year long? Some people around these parts display tomato signs in their yards 365 days a year. Now I see why. The concept started out earnestly, as far as I can tell. The tomato has served as Tennessee’s official <a href="https://sos.tn.gov/civics/pages/tennessee-state-symbols">state fruit</a> since 2003 (so what if the Supreme Court classified it as a veg in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden">1893</a>), and the festival grows bigger every year, promising a weekend of wholesome fun for the whole family that includes a costume parade, 5K race, full roster of live musical performances, arts and crafts vendors, kid-friendly science experiences, portrait painters, food trucks, and drink tents for fun aunts. 
I tried really hard to conjure the collective kumbaya I assumed was baked into the neighborhood’s biggest event of the summer. But it remained elusive. Political campaigns dotted the parade for candidates I don’t know yet. A small leftist organization shouted something about voting and planting seeds. Tomato-ish, but I assume they’re talking about voting only one way. Another woman seemed better suited for Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade dressed in a fish tail and tomato bikini instead of seashells. She and her cool bikini friends navigated large groups of children representing their magnet and charter school programs.
I was having trouble wrapping my head around the “heartland risqué” aesthetic. I wondered if Spain’s La Tomatina festival — the one where 20,000 people throw tomatoes around for an hour until everyone looks like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DakFFFaz-KM/">human meatballs</a> sloshing around in street pulp — has a more cohesive je ne sais quoi.
Maybe what was missing were the actual tomatoes. I know they’re out there. The devil works hard; that tomato vine in your backyard works harder.
But I was also missing a real sense of community. I’m new here, but I can already feel the neighbors picking sides. The “Pride” vibe can be exclusive, weaponizing the rainbow — a promise that was meant for everyone — as a symbol of one particular team. With all the LGBTQ venues opening in my neighborhood, Tomato Fest will likely become an all-rainbow party someday. I watched it happen in my Los Angeles neighborhood. Families will still go, but they’ll be consuming 100% more drag in order to do it. (And even fewer tomatoes.)
Later that afternoon as the festival rocked on, black storm clouds rolled in, and a sudden crack of thunder unleashed a downpour. I wondered if this is what everyone not in Noah’s Ark felt like, back in the day. I imagined all of those ancient folk somewhere on the other side, throwing tomatoes at each other, with some divine understanding of where it all went wrong. Sure, we’ve been promised no more epic floods. But we definitely needed to be cleansed from whatever just happened at Tomato Fest.
***
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

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The Tomato Festival That Turned Into A Culture War

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Lorenzo Thompson, an illegal immigrant from Jamaica working as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, last week at the Nashville International Airport.
The Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2080391076532166771?s=20">told Fox</a> News that Thompson came to the United States on a six-month visa under Biden in 2021, but refused to leave when the visa expired.
&#8220;Against our nation’s laws, [Lorenzo Thompson] overstayed his visa and failed to depart. He will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings,&#8221; an ICE representative <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-arrests-southwest-airlines-flight-attendant-nashville-overstaying-visa-2021">told</a> Fox News.
The agency added that illegal immigrants like Thompson who self-deport are given $2,600 cash stipend, a free flight home, and the opportunity to return to the United States legally.
&#8220;We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream,&#8221; the agency said. &#8220;If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.&#8221;
Thompson’s local union chapter, TWU Local 556, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/twulocal556/p/DbHTnc3js81/">said</a> it is in communication with Thompson’s family and is working with its legal counsel on how to address the situation.
“Our priority is, and always will be, standing with and supporting our Members,” it said in a statement. “Every Member deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and we are committed to ensuring this Member and their family know they are not alone during this difficult time.”
The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LCLAA/photos/justice-for-lorenzo-justice-for-johan-justice-for-all-ice-outjoin-or-host-a-nati/1503261605171408/">Labor Council for Latin American Advancement</a> and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/afacwa/posts/we-stand-with-twu-local-556-and-flight-attendant-lorenzo-wrongfully-detained-by-/1454153386748089/">Association of Flight Attendants</a> (AFA) both shared a statement of solidarity with Lorenzo.
“Today, we stand with our brother Enzo and his union family. Together, we reaffirm our commitment to standing by workers and their families through every challenge,” the AFA said.
A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-lorenzo-thompson-fight-ice-detention">GoFundMe</a> for Thompson started by his friend Kristin Foster has raised $43,018 of its $45,000 target as of Thursday afternoon.
“Lorenzo came to the United States legally from Jamaica in 2021, seeking safety from life-threatening abuse,” Foster stated. “Since arriving, he has worked tirelessly to build a stable life, following every legal step toward citizenship. He has no criminal record. No parking tickets. He holds a valid work permit, has a pending case with US immigration and is a dedicated Flight Attendant for a beloved airline.”

Airplanes Docked at Palm Beach Airport

One Southwest Employee’s Final Boarding Call Came From ICE

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An illegal immigrant will spend 20 years in prison after admitting to murdering a beloved Nashville restaurant owner. 
Ulises Martinez, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, pleaded <a href="https://sci.ccc.nashville.gov/Search/CriminalHistory?P_CASE_IDENTIFIER=ULISES%5EMARTINEZ%5E09131999%5E624024">guilty</a> on Wednesday to second-degree murder after he slammed his truck into 42-year-old Matt Carney during an attempted robbery two years ago. The case drew national attention as President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-decries-vicious-illegal-immigrant-suspected-of-murdering-nashville-restaurant-owner?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Decries+%E2%80%98Vicious%E2%80%99+Illegal+Immigrant+Suspected+Of+Murdering+Nashville+Restaurant+Owner">pointed to it</a> as an example of a migrant crime wave during his 2024 presidential campaign.
The incident took place on June 19, 2024, outside of Smokin Thighs, a popular Nashville chicken restaurant owned and operated by Carney that began as a food truck. Carney was locking up his restaurant when he walked outside to find two men stealing tools from his truck. After Carney confronted them, the men, both illegal immigrants, rammed into Carney with their truck, throwing him onto the sidewalk, before taking off. 
Olivia Lehing, who witnessed the scene, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-confesses-to-killing-nashville-man-in-hit-and-run">said</a> she was driving when she saw a truck send a body “into the air” and then drive “very fast” away from the scene
Carney died from injuries sustained during the incident several weeks later. Martinez was on the run for several weeks before he was arrested on July 18, hiding out in a Nashville motel. 
Smokin Thighs closed down in October 2024 after almost ten years in business. 
“Places like this do not just exist everywhere and in every neighborhood,” former Smokin Thighs manager Landon Allen <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2026/07/22/nashville-smokin-thighs-matthew-carney-murder-guilty-sentence">told</a> The Tennessean. “When he was taken from us, it all died with him.”
In addition to the murder charge, Martinez pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and two counts of theft. Martinez, who required an interpreter throughout the proceedings, is expected to be deported after serving the 20-year sentence. Carney’s widow reportedly supported the plea deal. 
Martinez’s immigration status was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-accused-of-killing-nashville-restaurant-owner-had-previous-felony-charges-dismissed">first reported</a> by The Daily Wire, with ICE saying that he unlawfully entered the country at an unknown date and location. The other man in the vehicle with Martinez, 31-year-old Adrian Diaz-Aguirre, had previous criminal convictions and has been deported four times.
Just months before Carney’s murder, a Nashville judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-accused-of-killing-nashville-restaurant-owner-had-previous-felony-charges-dismissed">let Martinez go</a> free after he was accused of stealing a white van, a red truck, and tools from a white truck.
Nashville Judge Jim Todd dismissed all three charges during a preliminary hearing in March 2024, claiming police had failed to show probable cause. 
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-decries-vicious-illegal-immigrant-suspected-of-murdering-nashville-restaurant-owner?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Decries+%E2%80%98Vicious%E2%80%99+Illegal+Immigrant+Suspected+Of+Murdering+Nashville+Restaurant+Owner">discussed</a> the incident during an August campaign rally in Montana. 
“Look at what’s happening to our cities. Our cities are being overrun,” Trump said. “On July 4th, a 42-year-old Nashville man died after he tried to stop an illegal alien from stealing tools out of his truck. The illegal alien did a number on this man that nobody could even believe. The police officers said [it was] one of the most vicious crimes they’ve ever seen.”

MixCollage-23-Jul-2026-09-31-AM-2313

Illegal Who Murdered Beloved Restaurant Owner Sentenced To Prison

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The Nashville Police Department held a diversity training session for recruits inside a gay nightclub during Pride Month, bringing trainees together with members of the city&#8217;s LGBTQ community.
The session took place at Play Nashville, known around Nashville for its drag performances. Video shared by the mayor&#8217;s office shows recruits seated inside the venue, participating in a moderated discussion. 
Officer Darci Stechman, the department&#8217;s LGBTQ liaison, told recruits to come prepared with questions before the discussion: &#8220;Otherwise it&#8217;s going to be awkward, and you’re just going to be staring at one another for an hour and a half.” 
She added, “Nashville is very diverse, so we’re exposing the trainees to these different communities and letting them learn a little bit more about the people they may interact with within the community.&#8221; 
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The video also shows recruits speaking with Councilmember Olivia Hill, the first transgender-identifying man elected to the Metro Council. 
Nashville Democratic Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell&#8217;s office said the visit was part of the department&#8217;s standard diversity tour for recruits, not a one-time Pride Month event. 
“Metro Nashville Police recruits do a diversity tour before they ever hit the streets,” O&#8217;Connell&#8217;s office said. “Mayor O’Connell is committed to a city for everyone and that starts by bringing people together.”
The mayor&#8217;s office and the police department both shared video of the training on social media.
The police training is one of several diversity initiatives promoted by Nashville government agencies in recent years. The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-before-historic-storm-embattled-electric-service-asked-workers-if-they-had-gay-friends">previously reported</a> that Nashville Electric Service (NES) employees participated in diversity training before a crippling January ice storm left 230,000 customers without power. NES employees were asked to recognize their “implicit biases” and whether they had a diverse friend group. 
Trainings were required for all supervisors and managers, and modules were “completed by employees in 2023-2025,” according to an NES spokesperson. 
O’Connell is known for his leftist ideas, including his focus on climate change and anti-ICE stance. In May of last year, the mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashvilles-democrat-mayor-doxxes-ice-agents">doxxed</a> multiple ICE Agents after his office released information on the interactions between ICE agents and Nashville emergency service personnel. The mayor’s office claimed the names were released by mistake.

WATCH: Police Dept Brought Recruits To A Gay Club For Diversity Training

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