Our keeper of the flame, Nina Cardona

Every community needs a “keeper of the flame” – someone who can connect the present with the past.And in Middle Tennessee, we’re fortunate to have several of these sages who can remind us of our history. At WPLN, that’s the gift Nina Cardona shares with listeners each day on the NashVillager podcast – connecting the past with the present, while helping us break out of the news cycle and think about the news in a historical context.Today, we hear Nina's story and the why and how of what she does to connect us to Tennessee and beyond.

Welcome back to In My Place — a series about finding, and losing, home in a growing Nashville.This season, we’re getting to walk through the specific steps from homelessness to housing with people who have done it.In our last 8 episodes, we’ve talked about everything from connecting with services for the very first time to celebrating an apartment. But for many folks it doesn’t stop there — so neither did we.Most recently, we spent time trying to understand why having a place, even though it’s great, is really hard. So, in this episode, we’re talking with people about what it’s like to experience becoming unhoused again.This series was created thanks in part to support from Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and was produced by Judith Tackett.Guests: Jamie Villegas, member of the Homelessness Planning Council, expert through experience Kennetha Patterson, national peer advocate, expert through experience Lizzie Goddard, principal and owner of Goddard Consulting Co., housing systems strategist Further listening: Nashville Scene: Best News Podcast: 'In My Place' Overview episode of In My Place Listen to all episodes at the In My Place page or as a podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.

When Dr. Lisa Piercey left state government after guiding Tennessee through the pandemic, she decided to turn over an entirely new leaf. She was tired of working for someone else. So she got into the business of buying businesses. And even though she’s only a few years in, she also wrote a book about it. We talk about her journey to entrepreneurship, her hindsight on public service, and grappling with this new era in public health.  Further reading: In exit interview, Tennessee health chief Lisa Piercey defends how the state dealt with COVID (WPLN) Dr. Lisa Piercey on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (Signature Required) Why I Bought a Business Instead of Starting One (Entrepreneur)

As the federal government shutdown rolls into its fourth week, paychecks for federal employees have halted.At the local level, many are wondering how federal policies will impact their day-to-day lives. The Nashville job sector has remained stable for the past year, but as the manufacturing industry in Tennessee remains among the most vulnerable to tariffs, the future cost of production becomes less clear. Additionally, health insurance premiums for those who rely on Obamacare may cost up to twice as much in 2026 if Congress doesn't reach a deal. For our weekly Roundabout edition of This Is Nashville, we have invited a reporter, an economist, and a public policy advocate to speak on these issues. Call in with your question or comment at 615-760-2000 — or watch live on YouTube and pop your comments into chat.

Gospel and Christian music call this city home. But until now, there hasn’t been an obvious physical location. With the opening of the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music this month, we’ll look at the history of a unique genre that focuses as much on the lyrics and meaning as the song itself. We’re joined by historians, executives and a Dove Award winning artist. Additionally, our guests will highlight the importance of race and how it shaped today's world of Contemporary Christian Music. This episode was produced by Josh Deepan and Jewly Hight. Guests Jewly Hight, WPLN senior music writer Leah Payne, religious historian & author DOE, Dove award-winning artist Jackie Patillo, Gospel Music Association President Steve Gilreath, Executive Director of the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music Additional reading: New Musem of Christian and Gospel Music honors diversity of music with a message

It’s been nearly a year since Davidson County voters passed the Choose How You Move transit referendum, approving a half-cent (0.5%) sales tax increase to fund transit upgrades and improvements. The chief program officer, Sabrina Sussman, joins us to give an update and take questions from listeners.We end the episode with our Shared Calendar, giving you the microphone to plug local events coming up in the next week.Call 615-760-2000 to join on air or comment in the chat along with the live video stream.Guest Sabrina Sussman, chief program officer, Choose How You MoveFurther reading Free bus fares are coming to Nashville low-income residents (WPLN) City Pumps $104 Million of Choose How You Move Money Into Transit Projects (Nashville Banner) What one Nashville teen learned from riding every city bus route before graduation (WPLN) First phase of Nashville’s ‘Choose How You Move’ plan unveiled (WKRN) Events 4th annual William Edmondson Arts and Culture Fest "Everything Hurts" at Nashville Symphony Ann Roberts Lecture Series on Mid-Century Architecture Day of the Dead celebration in Springfield Urban League of Middle-Tennessee annual meeting Nashville Public Library's Neighborhood History & Culture Home Movie Project Columbia PRIDE TWRA Tennessee Biodiversity Summit VOGM: The Claus Cause (Santa Photoshoot for a Cause)

Charles “Wigg” Walker, legendary R&B and soul artist

It’s a Roundabout episode with guest host and familiar voice Nina Cardona. This panel spanning the political spectrum helps you think about the news — sometimes from a different lane.This week we welcome former speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, Beth Harwell. Former congressional candidate Kiran Sreepada and TSU political science professor Ian Shapiro are also back. Together, we’ll mourn the loss of life in the Bucksnort explosion, dissect the building presence of federal agents in Memphis, and look at the congressional races getting active, even a year out.

On our show today, we’re talking about native spiders. Why? Well, it’s spider season. You tend to see more this time of year because the males are looking for a mate. They’re also looking for a warm place to get in out of the cold and that may mean moving in with us. Spiders may make your skin crawl, but it’s useful to know what’s actually worth being scared of. Spoiler alert, there’s not too much to worry about — even with the much-maligned brown recluse.On today's show, we speak with a pet owner, an entomologist, and a local actor who landed the role of Charlotte in "Charlotte's Web" to get their takes. Better yet, our phone lines are open. Give us a call at 615-760-2000 to weigh in — or join us on "the web" by live streaming on YouTube at noon and pop your question into chat.

When Vanderbilt polled Nashvillians in March about top priorities for city investment, there was near unanimity around one issue. Nearly 90% wanted investment in more affordable housing. But when the questioning hit closer to home, the support waned. According to this same poll, 56% of residents support allowing multifamily housing "everywhere in my city to revitalize neighborhoods and local economies."If Nashville is going to have more affordable housing, residents also have to live closer together. It's not just apartment buildings and not just in some parts of town. It’s townhomes. It’s a garage unit in the backyard. It’s density. And when that density is proposed next door, you get a lot of folks who may agree in principle but find themselves saying “not in my back yard.” What does it take to get more YIMBYs (yes in my back yard)?