Bring on the butterflies: The Tennessee Department of Transportation is relaunching its annual effort to protect vulnerable monarch butterflies by sending free milkweed seeds to anyone who wants them.

Why it matters: Milkweed is a vibrant wildflower that serves as both a habitat and food source for the threatened monarch population.

• But in 2023, the state estimated milkweed habitats had declined about 90% over the last 30 years.

State of play: TDOT launched the Project Milkweed initiative in 2023 to regrow those habitats.

By the numbers: Last year, TDOT shipped out more than 93,000 seed packets, fulfilling more than 18,000 requests.

How it works: Residents can order red or common milkweed seed varieties online while supplies last. (They usually run out.)

What's new: For the first time this year, residents can also order a native wildflower and herb blend, featuring 10 varieties of native plants, including the state wildflowers — passion flower and coneflower.

The big picture: Project Milkweed is part of TDOT's Pollinator Habitat Program, which launched in response to a sharp decline of pollinators, including butterflies and bees, caused by development-driven habitat loss, pesticides and other threats.

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If NES had acted faster to call in outside help after the January ice storm, a new report says, the utility could have restored power to the city up to five days sooner.

Why it matters: The after-action report, commissioned by the NES board, confirms one of the biggest public criticisms leveled against the utility following the unprecedented ice storm that left more 230,000 customers without power.

• More broadly, the report found significant shortcomings in the technology NES uses to respond to major outages.

Friction point: The largest wave of outside assistance did not arrive until eight days into the restoration effort, the report found.

• The NES consultant estimated that earlier arrival of external resources could have reduced the overall restoration duration by approximately two to five days.

What they found: "Requests for outside assistance were not made early or broadly enough," the after-action report concluded.

• "NES did not have the forecasting tools, damage prediction capabilities, or decision thresholds to determine the level of external resources required for an event of this scale."

Zoom out: The report also hammered NES for its poor communication to customers, especially in the early stages of the storm.

• "Customer information was not prioritized during the early stages of the restoration effort," the report concluded.

The big picture: The storm that blanketed the city in thick ice shined a spotlight on the ways NES infrastructure and technology has not kept pace with Nashville's explosive growth.

• "NES's customer base has grown steadily over the past decade," the consultants concluded. "Winter Storm Fern demonstrated how process gaps (estimated time of restoration) and underutilized technology (manual tracking and prioritization of outages) can hinder restoration effectiveness."

The other side: NES management indicated it is already taking steps to make improvements suggested by the after-action report. NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin walked the agency's board of directors through its work since the storm at a meeting yesterday.

• The department updated its vegetation management plan and its ability to bring outside lineworkers online quickly during restoration.
• It also is working to improve its damage prediction system so it can be better prepared for natural disasters, according to Broyles-Aplin's presentation.

Between the lines: The early after action report was commissioned by the NES board of directors, which selected the law firms Sherrard Roe and Adams & Reese to spearhead the effort.

• PA Consulting to conducted the inquiry and produced the initial 30-day report.

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Mayor Freddie O'Connell said in a statement the NES report "lays out clear opportunities for the utility to modernize its system."

The latest: O'Connell applauded NES for beginning to implement upgrades suggested in its review.

• "This is how accountability works: identify the gaps, commit to solutions, execute with transparency, and report progress. Nashville is doing that together," O'Connell said.

State of play: The NES findings will be incorporated into the Winter Storm Commission's broader investigation. That report is expected later this summer.

• O'Connell appointed former Mayor and Gov. Phil Bredesen and former House Speaker Beth Harwell to lead the commission.

Zoom out: O'Connell also announced the appointment of Jaz Boon to the NES board. Boon, who must be confirmed by council, will replace chair Anne Davis.

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🏗 The Titans, Predators and Nashville SC are teaming up for a large mixed-use sports development in Franklin. (Nashville Business Journal, subscription)

🏎 Organizers are already canvasing the community asking voters to sign a petition to ban racing at the Nashville fairgrounds.

• If anti-racing workers collect around 50,000 signatures in the next 90 days, the measure would be on the ballot in 2027.
• The proposal would ban racing and replace it with workforce or affordable housing on the list of required programming at the fairgrounds. Read our story from last week

🏥 Metro tapped a new CEO for the city's safety-net hospital this week. (Tennessean, subscription)

The Bluebird Cafe, one of Nashville's most venerable music venues, will be expanding to include a satellite location in the new Nissan Stadium.

Why it matters: Bluebird East will be the first-ever expansion of The Bluebird Cafe's footprint. It will provide space in the new stadium honoring Nashville's robust songwriting community with in-the-round performances and other events.

What they're saying: Bluebird general manager Erika Wollam Nichols said there have been many offers to expand the cafe's reach over the years.

• "We have passed on all the opportunities," she said. "But this was exactly the right one to take advantage of and the right team to join."

Between the lines: In a statement, the Tennessee Titans said Ben Vaughn, late president and CEO of Warner Chappell Music Nashville, was a driving force behind the partnership before he died in January 2025.

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