10 years of Curious Nashville

The streets are lined with trunks and limbs awaiting pickup. The power is back on for most — though not all. And the ice and snow is largely gone.But the response is going to be discussed and debated for a long time to come and we start in this episode with our roundabout panel: columnist Bruce Barry of the Tennessee Lookout, WPLN’s Metro Reporter Cynthia Abrams and attorney Rita Roberts-Turner, former chief of staff for a former Nashville mayor.Plus, we take your questions and comments at 615-760-2000 or pop into chat on our YouTube stream!Guests Cynthia Abrams, Metro Reporter, WPLN Bruce Barry, columnist, Tennessee Lookout Rita Roberts-Turner, attorney, Klein, Solomon Mills; former chief of staff for a former Nashville mayor

It’s the 10-year anniversary of Curious Nashville and we’re revisiting some of the weirdest and most surprising questions you’ve asked. This means we're going underground to a fallout shelter, to the top of a skyscraper, and in between we’ll visit beehives, talk about dump trucks, and revisit some infamous pranksters. In this ep, you get to go behind the scenes of the reporting with WPLN Metro Reporter Cynthia Abrams and host Tony Gonzalez.Curious Nashville is powered by listener questions — and what you ask often leads to wonderful stories, fascinating characters and even more curiosity about the community around us. Have a curious question? Hit us up at wpln.org/curious-nashville

We grapple with our precious and destructive trees.Winter storm Fern may have been misnamed because it was actually hardwoods and hackberries wreaking so much havoc. The local canopy will never be the same. And for those of us who lived through this storm, we may never again see limbs near power lines as non-threatening.Today, we talk about protecting our trees and our power grid, plus we take your pressing questions about storm insurance claims.Guests Kevin Walters, Spokesperson, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Chris Leonard, Board Chair, Tree Conservation Corps Daniel Pittman, Local Claims Adjuster, Goodman-Gable-Gould/Adjusters International

This city isn’t known as an ice skating mecca. Far from it.There were only a couple of places to even lace up and glide until a few years ago. But this is where Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton decided to relocate as he wrapped up his skating career. As the 2026 Winter Olympic Games approach, we thought it best to talk to someone with firsthand experience about what it's like to skate under those lights with the whole world watching. Scott Hamilton is a 1984 Sarajevo Winter Games Olympic Gold Medalist. He joins us to talk about his Nashville story, his unlikely skating career and his turn to philanthropy and faith. 

Life is starting to get back to normal for some, but not nearly for all.Power restoration is still slow-going in some communities. One in five homes in Nashville is still in the dark and cold. And in some parts of town, work has hardly begun. This hour, we’re going to get an update about the arrival of the National Guard, hear about schools running out of snow days, and learn the warning signs about carbon monoxide poisoning. Plus we’ll visit Brown’s Diner where they’re emptying the freezer before it goes bad — and we remember the ice storm of 1994. It’s another recovery show.After the live show ends, tune into the latest Mayor's News Conference.Guests:  Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D), Tennessee House Representative, District 59 Camellia Burris, WPLN Education Reporter John Isbell, Sumner County Mayor Rose Gilbert, WPLN General Assignment Reporter Nadine Moore, Birria Babe Owner Justin Barney, WPLN Music Reporter

Multiple days without power is taking its toll on both our spirits and on Middle Tennessee's infrastructure.Water main breaks and power loss to pumping stations is causing more water outages as Nashville thaws and nearly 100,000 people are still in the dark with no heat. Many residents are at a loss for what to do next.In this episode, we air Metro Nashville's daily press conference live from Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office, a live interview with Metro Water Services deputy director Brent Freeman, a few hotel dispatches and a check-in on our tiniest (and cutest) residents.Guests Dale Grimes, mayor of Oak Hill Leesa LeClaire, President and CEO, Greater Nashville Hospitality Association Brent Freeman, deputy director & Sonia Harvat, Public Information Officer, Metro Water Services Cynthia Abrams, WPLN Metro Reporter

It’s day two of our live coverage of the large-scale snow and ice storm affecting all of Middle Tennessee.Hundreds of thousand Middle Tennesseans remain in the dark and cold. As crew members work to restore the power grid to normal operations, we bring you answers to FAQ and the latest on where the region stands in terms of power and emergency management.Guests Brent Baker, Vice President and Chief Customer Innovation Officer, Nashville Electric Service (NES) Amy Byers, Marketing & PR coordinator, Middle Tennessee Electric Alex Pellom, Chief of Staff, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)

A large-scale snowstorm crippled much of the nation over the weekend, including all of Middle Tennessee."This Is Nashville" provided live updates about downed power lines, safety tips, and where to go to warm up. As outages persist statewide, electric companies are working around the clock to ensure power is restored as swiftly as possible. In this episode, we hear from locals and WPLN reporters about the latest. We also take your calls. The number to reach us is 615-760-2000.Guests:  Justin Barney, WPLN Music Reporter Catherine Sweeney, WPLN Health Reporter

This week, our Roundabout panel discusses President Donald Trump’s second first year.Have we entered “The golden age of America” as President Trump said during his inauguration speech — or something else entirely? Immigration policy. The economy. Military action in foreign lands. We break it all down. Plus, we want to hear from you. Call 615-760-2000 during the live show or pop into chat on our YouTube stream to weigh in with your question or comment.Guests:Mike Floss, Co-founder, Southern Movement CommitteeIan Shapiro, PhD, Political Science, Tennessee State UniversityChris Walker, Founding partner, The Poplar Group

It’s hard to make heads or tails of the housing market in Nashville.You’ve got McMansions sitting for months and starter homes swept up in a flash. If you’re selling you’re a little nervous. If you’re buying, you’re also a little nervous. Can it really be that you need a six-figure income to be a homeowner in Middle Tennessee? We’ve got your market report. A homebuyer, a real estate agent, an academic and a policy maker. And you. We’re taking your calls today. Join our real estate reality check.This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. Guests Kenneth Chilton, TSU Professor of Public Administration Dexter Evans, active homebuyer Gabriela Lira, Real Estate Agent, The Lira Group Rollin Horton, Nashville Metro Councilmember (District 20)