nashville

Mina Johnson is living the American dream, but it’s one she hadn’t dreamed about growing up. An immigrant from Japan, Johnson is Nashville’s first Asian American and Pacific Islander member of the city council.

Since the mid-20th century - with the rapid rise of the suburbs - shopping malls have been a big part of American life. In the '80s and '90s, malls became veritable town centers: giving us a one-stop shopping destination, bringing in the biggest and busiest restaurant chains, and serving as an after-school playground for our teenagers. And for many years, malls were an integral part of our culture - as evidenced by the prominent role they played in cult classics such as "Pretty in Pink," "Weird Science" and "The Blues Brothers."

Of all the eras in Hollywood history, the decade that stretched from 1969 to 1979 was perhaps the most daring, a time of experimental masterpieces that shocked audiences into seeing the world in a different way. In the era's edgy eloquence, Karen Black portrayed quirky women who found themselves in trouble.

This year's May sweeps end Wednesday night - and the schedule over these final four days is a veritable dessert cart of TV goodness. Tomorrow night (5/20), there's the delectable "Mel Brooks: Make a Noise"  offered by PBS's American Masters. Also tomorrow night: the final performance show of this season's Dancing With the Stars, with the results show coming up Tuesday night.

George Jones, who died on April 26 at age 81 in Nashville, was such a giant in the world of country music that a song Jim Lauderdale wrote  about him, " The King of Broken Hearts," became a hit for George Strait. And that was a fitting appellation.

The sublime Connie Britton gets smacked in the face with ageism as a country super star who suddenly finds a brazen little man eater - Hayden Panettiere - usurping her territory in Nashville, premiering Wednesday (10/10) on ABC .

For those who are in possession of a romantic's heart, Valentine's Day is a wonderful opportunity to proclaim your love to those most dear.