NASCAR, MLB star’s surprise and a high-profile clemency case: The Dose

Hello from The Dose, a weekly jolt of news you can actually use.

I’m Jessica Bliss, a human interest columnist here at The Tennessean. I’m a mom, a triathlete, a writer. And, the curator of this newsletter.

The Dose is a place to share the news we’re all talking about — and actually experiencing. Each week, you’ll find: a stat worth digging into, a dose of news from our Tennessee community, something you *should* pay attention to on social media and a burst of happiness.

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My challenge? Keep it relevant to your world. Definitely send me your feedback and what you’d like to see. My promise? This will be a positive space for all perspectives.

This week’s dose of news

Cyntoia Brown’s case for clemency continues to capture the country’s attention

A Tennessee Supreme Court decision saying that convicted killer Cyntoia Brown must serve 51 years in prison before being eligible for release sent shock waves to the thousands who have been following her case. More and more prominent figures this week requested her release, and everyone awaits the governor for more.

Who is Cyntoia Brown?: Brown is a Tennessee woman who was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man when she was just 16 years old.

Now 30, she has been in prison since 2004, which is when she was convicted of shooting 43-year-old Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen — who picked her up at an East Nashville Sonic restaurant and drove her to his home.

Celebrities and the nation are watching: Brown’s bid for clemency has captured the attention of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, who called for Brown’s release in 2017. Comedian Amy Schumer and actress Elizabeth Banks are the latest celebs to support Brown.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen joined a growing chorus of advocates asking Gov. Bill Haslam to free the Tennessee woman. Haslam said this week he is reviewing “every aspect” of the case.

Two sides of the story: Prosecutors said Brown committed a cold-blooded murder, then robbed Allen before she fled with his car. But others have said Brown was a victim of sex trafficking who feared for her life while with Allen. Brown said she had been forced into prostitution by a boyfriend.

What’s next?: The questions before Haslam are not simple, but Haslam is set to leave office in January, and it is common practice for governors to grant clemency at the end of their terms.

Take our survey: Should Cyntoia Brown be granted clemency?

First Amazon, now Apple Music — big business is booming in Nashville

Well, they don’t call it Music City for nothing. The newest resident of our tuneful town? Apple Music.

The company will boast a 30,000-square-foot office and an outdoor event space at a restored factory in Wedgewood-Houston. The move is part of Apple’s strategy to expand its country-music brand and compete with other streaming services. Already, Spotify and Pandora have opened Nashville offices. 

The rise of streaming has radically changed Nashville’s music industry. Streaming data allows for market research on an artist’s success with target demos; it also has left digital downloads and physical sales of CDs by the wayside.

In other music news: Tay Keith, rap’s hottest young producer, graduated from Middle Tennessee State University last weekend. Just how hot is he? Well, when Drake came to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena earlier this year, he told the sold-out crowd that as soon as his tour was over, “I’m going right back to the studio with Tay Keith.” So there’s that.

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NASCAR coming back to Nashville?

Start your engines, friends! NASCAR may be coming back to Music City.

The newly struck deal still needs to be approved by the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners, but if all goes right, racetrack operator Tony Formosa will hold up to eight of his already-established races annually at the fairgrounds.

Should that happen, the property is poised to be a sports megaplex. In November, the Metro Council approved financing for a $275 million Major League Soccer stadium project next to the speedway. The MLS stadium is scheduled to open in 2021. 

Numbers worth knowing

Tennessee has executed three men this year, but the use of the death penalty in the United States is near a historic low

Billy Ray Irick. Edmund Zagorski. David Earl Miller.

These three men were executed in Tennessee this year — one by lethal injection, two by electrocution. They marked the first executions in the state in nearly a decade.

Nationally, though, executions and new death sentences stayed near historic lows in 2018. It will be the fourth consecutive year with fewer than 30 executions and fewer than 50 new death sentences.

How does the death penalty affect Tennesseans? Here are three unique perspectives.

1. This minister remembers the day in 2000 when Tennessee carried out its first execution in 40 years, and he recalls what it felt like to take part in the intimate moments before a man’s death.

2. At age 6, this man pushed for his mom’s killer to die. Years later, he asked: Should I save the life of my mother’s murderer?

3. And this journalist’s poignant piece shared exactly what he saw when he watched Miller die in the electric chair a few weeks ago.

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All the good feels

(A hometown guy doing good.)

Major league baseball player Mookie Betts — a homegrown Nashville talent — surprised 50 kiddos at the Donelson-Hermitage YMCA with shiny new bikes and helmets.

The former Overton High School standout, who recently claimed the title of American League MVP playing with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, was here for the big reveal last week as a curtain was lifted in a gym filled with clapping children and parents.

“You always remember your first bike,” Betts said with a humble smile.

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This isn’t the only good deed of late for Betts. After a win in Game 2 of the World Series, the outfielder delivered hot meals to some of the homeless community gathered outside the Boston Public Library. He did it without fanfare or a media crew.

As one onlooker said: “He was incognito just trying to do good.”

“It’s kind of my passion to kind of give back,” Betts said after the Nashville bike surprise. “I’m fortunate enough to be where I am, and I definitely want to spread the blessings. It’s an amazing feeling, just to know that you’re making somebody happy in some way. It makes me happy.”

Quote of the week

“I’ve never cried so fast before. All of my feelings came to me at once, and I was like, ‘Wow, my brother’s here.’”

— University of Tennessee student Amaya Linsey expressing her shock at her brother’s surprise return from the Air Force to attend her graduation

The votes are in …

In The Dose last week, we asked, “Which celebrity should be honored by renaming Nashville International Airport?”

The question was sparked by a Metro Councilwoman’s request to rename Nashville’s airport in honor of Oprah Winfrey.

Y’all voted, and the favorite (22.6 percent) was Cash International Airport after the Man in Black himself. Oprah and Tennessee women’s basketball legend Pat Summit were tied for second in the naming right’s battle. A good number of you also suggested that BNA should stay just the way it is.

Oh, the things you should do!

Go to the Nashville Farmers’ Market Night Market: With music, artisans and dining, the Friday evening event will take place 5-9 p.m. at the Market House (900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.). Could be the perfect place for some last-minute gifts. Bonus: They will collect change and bills for the Ms. Cheap Penny Drive for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Visit Decker & Dyer in The Westin Nashville: A glitzy bar and lounge where vintage music videos flicker on one wall and Wine-Down Wednesdays may be worth your while at $8 a glass.

Cheer on the Tennessee Titans vs. Washington Redskins on Saturday: The second AFC wild-card spot remains up for grabs, and the Titans are in a three-way race for it. That makes the 3:30 p.m. matchup at Nissan Stadium a must-win.

Attend the annual Christmas Eve Carillon Concert with Belmont School of Music’s Richard Shadinger at 2 p.m. on Dec. 24 in the Belmont Bell Tower, just off the corner of Belmont Boulevard and Portland Avenue. The concert features traditional Christmas music played on the tower’s 42-bell carillon.

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