🌱 CDC Grants Vanderbilt $10.7M + Reckless Driver Arrested

Good morning, neighbors! It's me again, Sean Peek, your host of the Franklin Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Cold with plenty of sun. High: 42 Low: 28.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Franklin today:

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention granted Vanderbilt University Medical Center $10.7 million for COVID-19 vaccine research. The grant is the third renewal for IVY Network, which was founded in 2019. In the future, the IVY Networks plans to study if current vaccines offer protection against new variants and if new vaccine formulations are needed. (WZTV)
2. The Tennessee Housing Development Agency launched a new federally funded program that's designed to help homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgage payments because of COVID-19 related hardships. The Tennessee Homeowner Assistance Fund was created as part of the American Rescue Plan, and it's received more than $168 million for funding. About 3.3 percent of Tennessee homeowners are delinquent more than three months. (WSMV Nashville)
3. After closing for two and a half years, a popular Franklin restaurant is reopening. When Halfway Market and Diner had initially closed due to rising rent prices, owner Kellye King "knew [they'd] be back." King's prediction came true on Monday, as the restaurant reopened to West Main and Hill, two blocks from its previous location. (WSMV Nashville)

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Today in Franklin:

• Snowy Day, Preschool Story Time At Leipers Fork (10:30 AM)
• Williamson 101 At Williamson County Chamber of Commerce (3:30 PM)
• Teen Advisory Group At Williamson County Public Library - Teen Program (4:00 PM)
• Readings on Racial Justice Book Club At Williamson County Public Library (5:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Nashville shared an image of Tennessee Titan players after they clinched the number one seed in the AFC along with home-field advantage. (Instagram)
• There's more to Tennessee than Nashville! For a trip just outside of Franklin, slow it down in Leiper's Fork to enjoy southern hospitality at its best, withlocal hotspots like The Country Boy Restaurant and Leiper's Creek Gallery. (Facebook)
• Franklin's City Administrator Eric Stuckey shared his top three things to know this week, including clean-up from winter weather, the Goose Creek Study Meeting information, and information about the Historic Design Guidelines Meeting. (Facebook)

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That's it for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with your next update!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.