The Roundabout: Federal policies, jobs, and healthcare

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)?

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