The Roundabout: News of the week

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)?

When Stuart McWhorter gets introduced on stage, at some point he feels the need to cut off the emcee. From his resume, it starts to sound like he either can’t hold a job or he’s always looking for the next thing — a joke that he makes about his own varied career. This week, he takes on yet another a new role in Gov. Bill Lee’s administration — deputy governor. But he’s been Lee’s right hand man since he decided to run for office. Before government service, he was a second generation entrepreneur who credits working with his late father, Clayton McWhorter, for much of the success he has experienced.

The Roundabout is your news of the week, analyzed by our panelists from points of view that span left, right and center.Congressional District 7 candidate Rep. Jody Barrett, Owen School professor and Tennessee Lookout contributor Bruce Barry, and @WPLN's Marianna Bacallao join today to help us think through the biggest news – including the special election in the 7th congressional district. We’ll digest the primary results with the help of Barrett, who was the focus of much of the money spent in the race. We'll also look at how the state ended up banning more books than almost any other state — as well as Vanderbilt’s latest moment of decision. Plus, we're hearing from you. Call 615-760-2000 to join the conversation!You can also check us out visually by joining our YouTube stream.Guests Marianna Bacallao, state legislative/power and equity reporter, WPLN Rep. Jody Barrett, congressional district 7 candidate; state house representative Bruce Barry, professor, Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management;  Tennessee Lookout contributor Further reading Trump asks 9 colleges to commit to his political agenda and get favorable access to federal money (WPLN) Vanderbilt campus groups push back against Trump administration higher ed ‘compact’ (Tennessee Lookout) Memphis state Rep. Justin Pearson to challenge U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in 2026 Democratic primary (Tennessee Lookout) New Tennessee English Language Arts Standards Recommendation: More Diverse Texts: Educators cited the benefits of reading materials that reflect a variety of cultures and viewpoints (Nashville Banner)

Not long ago, everybody seemed to want to get in on Pride month festivities. Then the political winds shifted.Companies that were proudly flying the rainbow flag decided to fold up their colors this year, or at least drop their financial support — including Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nissan, Cracker Barrel, Dollar General and Jack Daniel’s. So Nashville Pride has been scrambling to fill the gap with a symbolic deadline of Saturday 10/11, which is National Coming Out Day. In this episode, we get an update from Pride organizers and explore the history of gay pride in our town.Stream the show live on YouTube.This episode was produced by Josh Deepan.Guests Tina Tousignant, Nashville Pride President Jef Ellis, co-founder of Dare Newspaper (later renamed Query) Dwayne Jenkins, Nashville Black Pride Board President

Nothing remains of Roger Williams University except a couple of historical plaques tucked away on Vanderbilt’s Peabody Campus. Founded in the wake of the Civil War alongside Fisk and Meharry, this historically Black institution once thrived before being destroyed in two suspicious fires in 1905. Today we uncover the forgotten history of Roger Williams, visit the nearby The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise & Public Policy, and meet artists and scholars working to both memorialize the university as well as honor their ancestral heritage through monuments and art.Guests Lanecia Rouse, visual artist & Berg Global Artist-In-Residence Fellowship in the College of Arts and Science, Vanderbilt University Ciona Rouse, poet Dr. Kevin Murphy, Andrew W. Mellon Chair in the Humanities and Professor and Chair of History of Art and Architecture, Vanderbilt University Dr. Leah Lowe, Professor of Theatre and Director of The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise & Public Policy, Vanderbilt University

Americana often becomes a place for artists or music industry types who don’t fit neatly elsewhere. And for Tamara Saviano, it was a place for a writer and publicist who was shunned by country music. Saviano moved to Nashville and quickly found herself crossways with industry heavyweights. A fateful firing over politics led to a phone call from actor and singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson, and the rest is a history that’s in her new memoir, "Poets and Dreamers." Produced by Blake FarmerMore on Tamara Saviano: NPR: Tamara Saviano on Guy Clark lost recordings WMOT: A warm account of the Americana movement Nashville Post (2003): Everything you ever wanted to know about the Charlie Daniels/Saviano dispute

The Roundabout is your news of the week, analyzed by our panelists from points of view that span left, right and center. Joining us today are Mark Rogers, Republican Party advisor; Dahron Johnson, chaplain and co-chair of the Nashville committee of Tennessee Equality Project; And Meribah Knight, reporter and producer of special projects for WPLN.What stories are making the rounds in your circle? Call 615-760-2000 to join on air or pop a question into the chat during the broadcast on the YouTube video stream.This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.Guests: Dahron Johnson, chaplain and co-chair of the Nashville committee of Tennessee Equality Project Meribah Knight, reporter and producer of special projects for WPLN Mark Rogers, Republican Party advisor

There’s a poster in the This Is Nashville studio that says “Our City, Our Stories.” And today it could say “Nuestra ciudad, nuestra historias.”Eleven percent of Nashvillians identify as Hispanic or having Hispanic heritage and today we're spending the hour with some of our Spanish-speaking neighbors: a coffee shop owner who can be found some days passing out free sweet bread to drivers stuck in traffic, a community health worker who brings care to people who need it most and a business leader who helps Hispanic entrepreneurs plug into the city’s power circles. Esto es Nashville.You can also join us live on YouTube to get the visual show experience and share your thoughts.This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. Guests Juan Pablo, owner, JOS Fifteen Coffee Shop Rosa Escobar, health worker, Siloam Health Yuri Cunza, Nashville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President