🛩️ Á leið til Íslands

It is Friday. You know what that means.

• Today's subject line means "En route to Iceland" in Icelandic. Read on to find out why.

🌧️ Today's weather: A flood watch remains in effect until tomorrow morning as heavy rain continues to pelt the region.

🎂 Happy early birthday to our Axios Nashville member Banks Woodruff!

Today's newsletter is 902 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Government, business and philanthropic institutions are joining forces to embark on a moon mission of fixing Nashville's early childhood education crisis.

Why it matters: The lack of options facing parents now affects quality of life for residents and economic development opportunities for corporations.

• Parents put career plans on hold, babies are signed up for daycare waiting lists before they're born and low-income residents have few options for early childhood education in Nashville.

State of play: To address the problem, 29 partners spanning government, nonprofit and business sectors launched the Nashville Early Education Coalition. The announcement came yesterday during a press event at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Zoom in: The lack of daycare centers and preschools has been a pervasive problem for Nashville. But until now, groups worked on the issue with a piecemeal approach, leaders of the coalition said.

By the numbers: "The reality is, here in Nashville over 53% of those little guys born three years ago do not have access to great child care options in this city that will support their growth," Hal Cato, executive director of the Community Foundation, said during yesterday's press conference.

• According to data from the new coalition, 60% of Nashville families report employment disruptions due to a lack of available child care.

So how did Nashville, the vibrant city that attracts major corporate relocations, plummet into an early childhood education "crisis," as Cato calls it?

• He says the first issue is staffing. Jobs at early childhood education centers don't pay enough to attract the talent needed to meet demand.
• Melanie Shinbaum, who was announced as the new coalition's executive director, said the cost of early childhood education is also a problem. Costs have disproportionately been pushed onto parents, she says.

What she's saying: "We have heard loud and clear from parents and providers that our fragmented child care system is not working," Shinbaum says.

What's next: The coalition is in its infancy, and its leaders say it doesn't have all the answers.

• In the months ahead, the coalition will work with stakeholders to develop a "citywide solution" to increase the availability and quality of early childhood education.
• The group's priorities are to "uplift educators" by increasing compensation and mental health support, advocating for policy changes and leadership development within the profession.
• Cato says he's especially encouraged to see the state of Tennessee participating in the cause.

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Heavy rain and strong winds are expected in the Nashville area as the remnants of Hurricane Helene move inland, but the most significant danger will be concentrated to our east.

Why it matters: "A fairly historic situation is about to unfold across the southern Appalachian region," an East Tennessee forecaster wrote Thursday afternoon.

State of play: Davidson County could see up to 6 inches of rainfall from Thursday through Saturday, according to a National Weather Service estimate. A flood watch is in effect through Saturday morning.

• Some localized flash flooding and downed trees are possible, according to the NWS. But the Cumberland River is expected to stay below flood stage.
• In Nashville, at least, the surge of rain could be "beneficial," according to the NWS. But conditions are far more dire in East Tennessee and into North Carolina.

Threat level: An "immense amount" of rain is expected in East Tennessee, with even higher totals expected on the other side of the border in North Carolina.

• That could lead to near-record flooding for some East Tennessee rivers. Life-threatening flash floods are possible throughout that part of the state.

Zoom in: While wind strength in Nashville is expected to be about 10-20 mph today, with some stronger gusts, East Tennessee could see much more powerful gusts, between 55 mph and 65 mph.

Read the full story ... Go deeper: "Catastrophic" Hurricane Helene lashes Georgia after Florida landfall

Nashville International Airport will add a new European flight to its roster in 2025.

• Officials announced a direct flight from BNA to Reykjavík, Iceland yesterday.

Why it matters: The addition underscores ongoing efforts to expand the airport's international reach.

What's next: The first flight to Iceland is scheduled to depart from BNA on May 16, 2025. The flight, which lasts about seven hours, will operate four days a week.

• Tickets for the first trip are already on sale.

The big picture: Southwest Airlines announced plans earlier this week to expand its domestic routes from BNA.

• Flights to Memphis; Albuquerque, N.M.; Albany, N.Y.; Jackson, Miss.; Providence, R.I.; and Tulsa, Okla. will begin next April.

Read the full story

Instagram is launching Teen Accounts in September, with built-in protections limiting who can contact teens and the content they can see. Plus, only parents can approve safety setting changes for teens under 16.

The impact: More protections for teens, and peace of mind for parents.

Learn more.

🚧 The PSC Metals scrapyard on the East Bank is going up for auction, potentially opening up one of the most-sought pieces of property in the city for development. (Tennessean)

A developer is suing Metro for overbearing permitting requirements, alleging they were forced to replace a water line. (Nashville Banner)

🍎 Vanderbilt University is exploring a satellite campus in New York. The university is already pursuing a campus in south Florida. (Nashville Post, subscription)

You know the drill: Answer three questions correctly and you will get all the glory in a future newsletter.

1. Which Nashville comedian will be hosting an upcoming episode of "Saturday Night Live"?
2. Name the Democratic candidate for a Nashville-area congressional seat who launched their first campaign ad this week.
3. What is the theme of library card design that turned into a surprising marketing campaign for the Nashville Public Library?

Starting in September, Instagram Teen Accounts have automatic protections for who can contact teens and the content they can see. Plus, only parents can approve safety setting changes for teens under 16.

What this means: Built-in protections for teens, and peace of mind for parents.

Learn more.

Our picks:

🍶 Nate and Adam are drinking saké with pal Shelley.

This newsletter was edited by Jen Ashley.