Cole, Una elementary schools build new wings

By SUZANNE NORMAND BLACKWOOD and ANDY HUMBLES • August 8, 2008 (Tennessean) This fall, Cole Elementary School will start the school year off with new leadership and quite a few new faces in the classrooms. Chad High is the school's new principal. The school also has seven new faculty members. A new assistant principal has yet to be named. New faculty positions consist of two second-grade teachers; two special education teachers; one part-time guidance counselor; one part-time P.E. teacher; and a math specialist. Also, the school is undergoing a remodeling project that includes a new wing and improvements to the cafeteria and offices. "Hopefully, that will eliminate the majority of our portables," said High. Una Elementary School is undergoing a similar project. A new wing with 17 classrooms is under construction for an area in back of the gymnasium. A new computer lab also is opening adjacent to the library. It will have 25 stations. The school has hired an instructional specialist for the lab. Una's principal, Kay Shepard, hopes the new classrooms, which would replace 17 portable buildings, will be ready by next fall.

New Orleans Manor serves full crowd its last night

Marissa DeCuir • June 11, 2008

Doug Wright waves to customers leaving the New Orleans Manor restaurant on its last night Tuesday, June 10, in Nashville, Tenn. Wright's mother opened the restaurant in 1977 and the family lived in the upstairs of the manor for the first ten years. Wright is not sure what he will do after the restaurant closes and speculates he will need to find a job.

New Orleans Manor turned down about 200 people hoping to eat at the seafood restaurant one last time Tuesday night.

The restaurant was alive as ever, but owner Douglas Wright said that shouldn’t be mistaken for a retirement party.

Plagued with seven years of nearby road construction and most recently the smoking ban, the Wrights couldn’t keep the family business alive after more than 30 years.Wright’s mother opened the restaurant in 1977.

The final decision to close came Monday morning, and Wright was hoping to last until today.But because the restaurant received so many calls for reservations, it served its last meal Tuesday night instead.Wright said he was not sure what would happen to the Colemare Mansion, which housed the Manor since its opening.

Wright said he would be interested in subletting the remainder of his lease, two and a half years, with the mansion's owner, the Nashville International Airport.

Nashville-area road work

SOUTHEAST— Today through Wednesday, 8 p.m. - 5 a.m., there will be lane closureResurfacing s on Bell Road eastbound and westbound in order to work on handicap ramps. One lane will remain open.