A landmark in Texas history is also a Tennessee story. Plus the local news for February 23, 2026, and Leonard Slatkin.

Credits: 

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio

Host/producer: Nina Cardona

Editor: LaTonya Turner

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

When the Emergency Broadcast System was activated on this day in 1971, people thought all-out nuclear war had started. While the system is used more for weather emergencies these days, the FCC takes false alarms very seriously (even on public radio).

Plus, the local news for February 20, 2026 and a story about potentially funneling foster kids to jail-like facilities. 

 

Credits: 

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio 

Host/producer: Blake Farmer 

Editor: Tony Gonzalez 

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh

When people in one small town wanted hydrocodone, a primate helped them know they’d found the pharmacist who’d hook them up. Plus the local news for February 19, 2026 and a conversation with new conductor of the Nashville Symphony, who happens to be one of the most prominent American conductors of our time.

Building a landmark nuclear facility in East Tennessee was about speed and incredible scale. Plus the local news for February 18, 2026 and this week’s edition of What Where Whensday.

Would you trust a winter forecast based on worms and spider webs?

On this date in 2000, Tennessee lost Helen Lane, the remarkable weather forecaster who used old-fashioned observations of nature to make predictions — and became nationally known.

Plus the local news for February 17, 2026 and a feature on a local rapper who contains multitudes.

Related reading:

Credits:
This is a production of Nashville Public Radio.
Host/producer: Tony Gonzalez
Editor: LaTonya Turner
Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Before we had wires connecting us all, we lit our homes with gas. And on this date, the lights came on for the first time. Plus the local news for February 13, 2026 and a new biography of Justin Townes Earle that offers some clarity on the singer-songwriter’s complex legacy. 

Credits:  

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio 

Host/producer: Blake Farmer 

Editor: LaTonya Turner 

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP 

A local Black History Month story of a Middle Tennessean who seized an impressive education despite all the roadblocks 19th century society put before people of her race and gender. Plus the local news for February 12, 2026 and the legal battle over the size of Metro Council heads to the state’s high court.

Credits: 

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio

Host/producer: Nina Cardona

Editor: LaTonya Turner

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

An upcoming vote may see the Rutherford County [LT1] library board and library staff at odds. Plus the local news for February 11, 2026 and this week’s edition of What Where Whens-day.

Credits: 

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio

Host/producer: Nina Cardona

Editor: LaTonya Turner

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

 [LT1]seems important to say "Rutherford County library board..." so people don't think it's NPL 

The home to one of Nashville’s founding mothers is now a prominent park, where ongoing investments seek to protect its future relevance to the community. Plus the local news for February 10, 2026 and Appalachian truffle hunting.

Credits: 

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio

Host/producer: Nina Cardona

Editor: LaTonya Turner

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP

Tennessee may not be the most wintery place (ice storms aside), but we do have some connections to the Winter Games. Plus the local news for February 9, 2026 and how immigration tensions played out locally during the winter storm

Credits: 

This is a production of Nashville Public Radio

Host/producer: Nina Cardona

Editor: LaTonya Turner

Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Tony Gonzalez, Megan Jones and the staff of WPLN and WNXP