1 big thing: Uncle Nearest's blends whiskey with history

2. Forging a path

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3. Paying it forward

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New jobs to check out

4. The Setlist

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Today's weather: A high of 92° with a chance of storms this afternoon.

Programming note: We're dedicating the bulk of this newsletter to a Tennessee whiskey distillery that's celebrating state history while helping to diversify its industry.

We'll be off on Monday for the Fourth of July. Have fun and be safe — we'll meet again on Tuesday.

Today's newsletter is 911 words — a 3½-minute read.

Nate's song of the weekend is "Unproductive Funk" by Guided by Voices.

🔊 Adam is listening to this charming discussion about how to pronounce different Nashville area landmarks.

Nashville

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Nashville. Written by Nate Rau and Adam Tamburin.

Axios Nashville

1 big thing: A new playing field emerges with six-week ban

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2.  Flight cancellations could fuel July 4 road trips

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3. COVID testing site closing

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4.  The Setlist

Do you see yourself with a new career?

5. 🌮 1 taco tidbit to go

Today's newsletter is 873 words — a 3-minute read.

Nate is watching "Only Murders in the Building." 

Adam is glad Nate reminded him to tune in to season two of "Only Murders in the Building."

1 big thing: A six-week abortion ban seems imminent

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2. Voters eligible for a settlement in robocall case

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3. The Setlist

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4. Renting relaxation by the hour

Fresh job openings around town

5. Mukhtar named player of the week

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Today's newsletter is 866 words — a 3-minute read.

Nate's song of the day is "Wretched" by Bartees Strange. 

Adam is rewatching "The Nanny" on HBO Max.

1 big thing: Dems pounce on Roe reversal

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2.  Business and civic leader Darrell Freeman dies

3. CM Mendes helms stadium committee

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Now hiring: New job openings

5. Nashville's deep pool of research talent

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Today's newsletter is 868 words — a 3-minute read.

🎵 Nate's song of the day is "San Francisco" by Elizabeth Foster. 

1 big thing: Nashville leaders plot post-Roe policies

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2. Dobbs ruling spurs another legal battle 

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3. Council to consider agreement to host RNC

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On the job hunt?

5. An upbeat Music Monday playlist

Good morning this Monday. We wish our Axios Nashville readers a healthy and productive week ahead. 

Today's weather: A reprieve from the heat: 84° and cloudy.

Today's newsletter is 942 words — a 3½-minute read.

Nate is binging the "Office Ladies" podcast.

Adam thinks this week's Axios Nashville playlist pairs well with caffeine and occasional workday dance breaks.

For the first time in 50 years, pro-abortion rights politicians are navigating policy positions in states like Tennessee where abortion will soon be banned.

In Nashville, progressive leaders' ideas range from ignoring the state's ban on abortions to financing trips for legal abortions in other states.

Why it matters: By this time next month, virtually all abortions in Tennessee will be banned. The only exceptions are for instances where a mother's life or physical well-being would be in jeopardy.

The Supreme Court struck down the longstanding legal precedent provided by Roe v. Wade and sent the regulation of abortions back to the states to decide.

Tennessee is one of 13 states with a law automatically triggering an abortion ban, which will come 30 days after Friday's court ruling.

Driving the news: Metro Councilmember Freddie O'Connell tells Axios he is studying the creation of an abortion access fund to help people get abortions in states where they are still legal.

"As someone who personally knows too many women who are the victims of sexual violence, I intend to fight to ensure that one of our core values does not become forcing motherhood through violence," O'Connell said on Twitter. "We must ensure access to safe, legal abortions."

Metro Councilmember Delishia Porterfield announced she has filed a resolution calling on police to make enforcing the abortion ban the lowest priority and to restrict city funds from being used to investigate or report suspected abortions.

The intrigue: Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk reiterated that he will not prosecute doctors who perform abortions or patients who get them.

Funk said in a press release Friday that the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade joins the historic Dred Scott and Plessy v. Ferguson rulings to form "an unholy triumvirate of the most hateful and hurtful Supreme Court decisions that will forever stain the court and this nation."

Reality check: Anti-abortion champions are prepared to fight back against these ideas.

Last year, Republican legislators passed a law allowing for special prosecutors if local DAs refuse to pursue certain cases.

At a press conference on Friday, Right to Life executives expressed support for banning advertising or other efforts to help women and girls get abortions in other states. 

The other side: Banning abortion has been a political rallying cry for Republicans for more than a generation. It has been a foundational tool in registering evangelical voters and in vetting nominees for federal judicial appointments.

The Supreme Court's ruling was cause for a victory lap.

"For almost 50 years, we’ve taken our stand for life," Sen. Marsha Blackburn said in a video posted to social media. "It's been against a rising tide of moral decay, but with courage and dedication, we built a society that cherishes life at all stages.”

Nashville leaders plot post-Roe policies

Progressive leaders' ideas range from ignoring the state's constitutional ban on abortions to financing trips for legal abortions in other states.

For the first time in 50 years, pro-abortion rights politicians are navigating policy positions in states like Tennessee where abortion will soon be banned.<ul><li>In Nashville, progressive leaders&#x27; ideas range from ignoring the state&#x27;s ban on abortions to financing trips for legal abortions in other states.</li></ul>

Politics

News

Nashville is among the fastest growing hubs for life science research talent in the country, according to a new report that showed growing employment opportunities in that sector.

An analysis of federal data from real estate services firm CBRE showed the city's population of life science researchers grew by more than 100% from 2015-2020.

Why it matters: The report illustrates another significant pocket of talent for Nashville, which is already established as a corporate center for health care and tech companies.

Nashville has "significant" concentrations of data scientists, biochemists and biophysicists, according to the report.

Between the lines: The report cited Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a key driver of that growth, in part due to robust grant funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Flashback: Vanderbilt University chancellor Daniel Diermeier told Axios earlier this year that he wanted to harness the power of the institution's biomedical science research to attract more companies to the region.

Yes, but: The report put Nashville at No. 23 in a ranking of the nation's top talent clusters for life sciences research, behind well-established leaders like Boston; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco.

Nashville is a growing hub for research talent, report says

Nashville has "significant" concentrations of data scientists, biochemists and biophysicists.

Medical research

Nashville is among the fastest growing hubs for life science research talent in the country, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a new report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbre.com/insights/reports/us-life-sciences-talent-2022" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbre.com/insights/reports/us-life-sciences-talent-2022" target="_blank">a new report</a> that showed growing employment opportunities in that sector.<ul><li>An analysis of federal data from real estate services firm CBRE showed the city&#x27;s population of life science researchers grew by more than 100% from 2015-2020.</li></ul>

Business

Abortion providers acknowledged a court order blocking a six-week abortion ban in Tennessee "is no longer warranted" after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week that overturned Roe v. Wade.

The six-week ban could go into effect as soon as Tuesday, ahead of a near-total ban next month.

The latest: In a federal appeals court filing Monday, the providers said their lawsuit challenging the six-week ban had become "futile" following the high court's ruling, which gave states the right to regulate abortion access.

The six-week ban was passed into law in 2020 before it was blocked by the court challenge.

Why it matters: The abortion providers and the state agreed that the Friday ruling fundamentally altered the legal landscape.

Driving the news: The state attorney general's office urged the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to allow the six-week ban to go into effect "as soon as possible," saying any delay "costs the lives of Tennesseans and violates the State's sovereignty."

Context: The 2020 law makes it a crime to perform an abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually six weeks into gestation.

A 2019 "trigger law" will lead to a more comprehensive ban. That will take effect 30 days after the Supreme Court issues its judgment on Dobbs, which should happen by mid-July.

But providers say the six-week ban would limit abortions in Tennessee "for nearly everyone" because many individuals do not know they are pregnant before six weeks.

State of play: Planned Parenthood's clinic in Nashville was not performing abortions Monday, in anticipation of the six-week ban.

The clinic will continue to offer other services, including health screenings.

Abortions for life-threatening pregnancies, which will be allowed under a narrow exception to the state's ban, will likely be performed in hospitals.

Between the lines: The latest filing underscored the new strategy for abortion providers in Tennessee, who are focusing their efforts on helping patients cross state lines to pursue the procedure.

Illinois providers are preparing for patients from Middle and West Tennessee. Planned Parenthood is also partnering with providers in North Carolina, Virginia and Florida for patients in East Tennessee.

What they're saying: "We are going to continue to provide sexual and reproductive health care," Ashley Coffield, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, said during a media briefing after the ruling last week.

"We are going to continue to help patients access abortion even though we can't provide it here at home."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the trigger law will take effect 30 days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its judgment on Dobbs, which should occur by next month. Tennessee Attorney General Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III's office originally indicated in a filing that the law would take effect 30 days from Friday, June 24.

A six-week abortion ban seems imminent in Tennessee

Abortion providers say the Supreme Court ruling fundamentally altered the legal landscape.

Abortion

Abortion providers acknowledged a court order blocking a six-week abortion ban in Tennessee &quot;is no longer warranted&quot; after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="overturned Roe v. Wade" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-decision-abortion" data-vars-content-id="75638078-972a-48ae-be97-006331b5d46f" data-vars-headline="A six-week abortion ban seems imminent in Tennessee" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-decision-abortion" target="_self">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>.<ul><li>The six-week ban could go into effect as soon as Tuesday, ahead of a near-total ban next month.</li></ul>

New restrictions on abortions in Tennessee could go into effect as early as this week.

The state already has a "trigger law" that will ban nearly all abortions 30 days after the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

But Tennessee attorney general Herbert Slatery III is fighting to limit abortion access in the meantime.

Driving the news: Slatery filed an emergency motion Friday asking a federal appeals court to lift an injunction on a Tennessee law that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually about six weeks into gestation.

Flashback: Lawmakers initially passed the six-week ban in 2020, but it was blocked pending a legal challenge from abortion providers.

State of play: Slatery's office argues the ruling overturning Roe should neutralize that legal challenge and clear the way for the six-week ban to take effect immediately.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals set a schedule for both sides to expand on their arguments in filings due Monday.

The bottom line: Whether or not the six-week ban takes effect, the stricter trigger ban is imminent.

Local Planned Parenthood staff is already helping patients navigate their out-of-state options for abortions, per WPLN.

Dobbs ruling spurs another legal battle

New restrictions on abortions could go into effect as early as this week.

New restrictions on abortions in Tennessee could go into effect as early as this week.<ul><li>The state already has a &quot;trigger law&quot; that will ban nearly all abortions 30 days after the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.</li><li>But Tennessee attorney general Herbert Slatery III is fighting to limit abortion access in the meantime.</li></ul>

Pancho & Lefty's Cantina is coming to Melrose.

The local taco restaurant, owned by the team behind Edley's Bar-B-Que, will open later this summer in the Eighth Avenue space previously occupied by The Sutler.

State of salsa: The restaurant's downtown location will close next month, while the Sylvan Park location will remain open. 

Between the shells: "Downtown Nashville has evolved since we opened our doors there," owner Will Newman said in a statement.

"Although it has been wonderful to be a part of, it's no longer a fit for our strengths of serving the community in a way in which we make a positive impact for our neighbors."

Pancho & Lefty's new location

Photo courtesy of Pancho & Lefty's Cantina

Pancho &amp; Lefty&#x27;s Cantina is coming to Melrose.<ul><li>The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="local taco restaurant" data-vars-click-url="https://panchoandleftys.com/" data-vars-content-id="e116ac09-a009-454b-be9f-c27c684ec0a4" data-vars-headline="Pancho &amp; Lefty&#x27;s new location" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://panchoandleftys.com/" target="_blank">local taco restaurant</a>, owned by the team behind Edley&#x27;s Bar-B-Que, will open later this summer in the Eighth Avenue space previously occupied by The Sutler.</li></ul>

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Stories

Nashville is a growing hub for research talent, report says

Pancho & Lefty's new location

A six-week abortion ban seems imminent in Tennessee

Nashville leaders plot post-Roe policies

Dobbs ruling spurs another legal battle

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🥃 Making of "Malt Disney"

Post-Roe politics

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⚖️ A "futile" fight

Post-Roe Tennessee