Nashville News

Fans of author Gary Slaughter will be happy to learn he is publishing a fifth book in his Cottonwood series, due out this spring. More >

A Republican-backed proposal aimed at stopping Occupy Nashville protesters from staying overnight at the Capitol complex passed the House on Thursday despite opposition from Democrats who say the legislation’s penalty is excessive. More >

Occupy Nashville protesters are demanding an apology from the sponsor of legislation aimed at stopping them from staying overnight on the Capitol complex. The demand comes as some protesters are vowing to remain camped out and bracing to be arrested if the proposed legislation passes. More >

Occupy Nashville protesters met this afternoon to discuss the future of their encampment on War Memorial Plaza. The meeting was scheduled ahead of Occupy Nashville’s typical Tuesday night assembly because protesters are bracing for eviction from the plaza, with lawmakers scheduled to vote on a new public land camping law as soon as Thursday. More >

Tennessee lawmakers moved toward removing the Occupy Nashville encampment from the state Capitol with a pair of votes Tuesday in which they also amped up the threat of jail time.

Committees in the state Senate and House of Representatives each approved a ban on unauthorized camping on public grounds, setting up the possibility that the measure could clear the Tennessee legislature sometime next week.

The nearly identical measures would give Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration clearance to try again to remove the Occupy Nashville camp, though it is unclear whether it would act immediately. The bill also faces potential legal hurdles.

Three people have been shot in a standoff with Nashville police that ended with a shootout between police and a man being arrested for attempted homicide.

Officials said the man who held officers at bay fired on them and a SWAT team officer returned fire early this morning, according to The Tennessean. Police said 53-year-old Charles G. Connor shot a man and a woman, who were inside his apartment.

Deputy Chief Louise W. Kelton, a 31-year veteran of the Metro Nashville Police Department, was nominated by President Barack Obama on Thursday to serve the Middle District of Tennessee as a United States marshal.

In a statement released by the police department late Thursday, Kelton said she was deeply honored to be nominated.

“I have devoted my professional career to law enforcement in Nashville and am proud to serve as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department,” she said. “I now look forward to the U.S. Senate’s confirmation process.”

Megabus announced a new route between Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis on Thursday. The bus will run twice a day between the cities beginning Feb. 29. More >

Detectives said a shooting in which three people were hit following a fight over a basketball game in East Nashville was not gang related. Police said a fight broke out between 16-year-old Joseph Hayes and 21-year-old Deonta Berry inside the South Inglewood Community Center gym where they were playing basketball on Tuesday afternoon.

They pair were told to leave. A short time later, shots were fired on Litton Avenue near Burns Street.

Occupy Nashville protesters are putting Gov. Bill Haslam, state lawmakers and the highway patrol on notice that, if they are if evicted from Legislative Plaza, they will seek to occupy the state Capitol, vacant housing and even restrooms at the Haslam family-owned chain of truck stops. More >