Emails confirm Mayor Cooper’s administration kept public out of State of Metro in violation of city charter

In April, Nashville Mayor John Cooper provided the yearly ‘State of Metro’ address to the citizens of Nashville, which is required by the city charter to be open to the public. While the administration claims no one was turned away or denied an invitation, a newly fulfilled open records request details people who were told they could not attend, citizens who were turned away at the door because they were not on the invitation list, and a directed change of the announcement text making it ‘invite only’ and specifically not open to the public. The Mayor’s Chief Communications Officer TJ Ducklo claims none of this ever happened, despite the newly released administration emails detailing the denials.

Funk’s Friend Faces Felony: Socialite Brenda Ross jailed on new stalking charge Friday

67-year-old Brenda Ross is free on a new $2,500 bond after being jailed on a new felony aggravated stalking charge this weekend. The Nashville socialite who hobnobs with the like of the District Attorney, The Mayor, and sitting judges, was initially arrested on May 9th for violating an order of protection. The new warrant, which was signed on May 11th, details multiple instances of Ross sending messages to the victim, Marilyn Jones, via social media, showing up at Jazzy’s where she knew the victim to be, only to sit across the bar and stare at her without saying anything. Once the victim left and went to Larry’s Bar, Ross followed her there. The victim continues to feel harassed and stalked by Ross.

Nashville’s Brenda Ross: Arrested. Stalking. Pics in a Swingers club. Orders of protection. Friend of the Mayor. Friend of Funk.

67-year-old Brenda Ross has been involved in more entanglements in the last two months than some folks experience in two decades. In March, Jacinta West received an order of protection against Ross after she said Ross, who was one of the first members of Nashville’s Police Community Oversight Board, stalked her. The two share a circle of friends, some of who warned that Ross had posted on social media alluding she was going o fuck them up and that she was “going to get them.” West says Ross then followed and chased her one night at might as she was picking up a friend, even pulling up beside her and yelling curse words at her. Previously in January, Ross reportedly grabbed West’s wrist while at a nightclub. West states she remains in fear of Ross, and her “political ties” only make the situation worse. Ross is an East Nashvillian who has served on several mayoral-appointed commissions over the years and can be found hobnobbing with the city’s elite on any given night of the week. Ross was jailed on Monday for violating one of the many current orders of protection. She is free on a $1,500 bond.