Friday, April 17, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1783, Greene County was established from Washington County by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly. The county later became part of Tennessee.

People who feed black bears in prohibited areas will face new criminal fines starting July 1. Get all the details in Et Cetera.

If you’re planning a trip this summer, you need to hear this: Jet fuel prices have nearly doubled since February, and airlines are passing every penny along to you, through higher fares, fewer flights, and hidden fees. On today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast, host Ayla Brown explains how the war in Iran is affecting travel costs across the board. Plus insight on what airlines aren’t telling you and what experts say you should do now to protect your summer plans. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, American PowerGen, is stepping up to meet the massive energy demands of the AI boom with ambitious power projects designed to keep the grid and innovation running.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog, your Flyover fix, anywhere.

State Budget Proposal Released

Tennessee lawmakers and Gov. Bill Lee have officially released the negotiated $58.3 billion state budget proposal for fiscal year 2027.

After much debate, $145 million will be allocated to K-12 schools, which includes money to fulfill the 2023 Teacher Paycheck Protection Act, which raises the starting teacher salary to $50,000 a year.

Budget line items for road work and education include $40 million in non-recurring funds for bridge reconstruction on Zinc Plant Road in Montgomery County and $11 million for an ALS research center at Vanderbilt University.

The final budget also includes adding 50 new state trooper positions, renovating all Tennessee welcome and rest centers, and allocating $83 million to move the Tennessee National Guard base from Berry Field to make room for a second terminal at Nashville International Airport.

House Passes Charlie Kirk Act

College students who participate in walkouts could face suspension or expulsion under a measure the Tennessee General Assembly passed this week. The legislation also prohibits schools from disinviting speakers based on their beliefs or in response to student protests.

“We want to be the gold standard for having public colleges and universities that are known to be neutral when it comes to divisive political and social issues,” said bill sponsor Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Franklin.

The bill is named after conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk, who lawmakers said frequented college and university campuses to encourage debate and discussion. Kirk was assassinated last September.

The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for a signature.

Nashville Resident Stars in ‘Jury Duty’

Anthony Norman, a 26-year-old father from Nashville, had no idea he was the only real person on Amazon Prime’s Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat—a hidden-camera show built entirely around him.

Norman took the gig through a temp agency to fit around his week-on, week-off schedule with his son, only to spend a week navigating zany actors playing his “colleagues” at a family hot sauce company’s retreat.

In the finale, he sprinted across camp and physically stopped a contract signing to protect his fake coworkers—not knowing cameras were rolling the whole time.

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The AI Bottleneck is No Longer Chips, It’s Electricity

The biggest names in tech are converging on Texas, as Oracle, Google, Amazon, and Meta all build massive AI data centers.

They’re not alone either. In 2026, 140 will break ground in Texas alone. But this need for massive amounts of always-on power creates major strain on the grid.

American PowerGen is ready. Led by a team with $5B+ worth of previous power project acquisitions, they specialize in getting these difficult projects off the ground, fast.

This year, they’ll break ground on a project set to supply enough energy to power 3M homes. By 2028, they plan to scale capacity 3X+.

They’ve already turned down multiple acquisition offers. Don’t wait to join. Share in American PowerGen’s growth as an early-stage investor today to unlock guaranteed bonus stock.

➤ Rutherford County: School board candidate Chuck Isbell was arrested on Monday for stealing a campaign sign placed by his opponent that contained Isbell’s personal information. (Details)

➤ Hamilton County: The Signal Mountain City Council approved a zoning amendment that reduces residential development density in an effort to preserve the community’s small-town feel. (More)

➤ Shelby County: A prayer vigil at Millington High School honored Coriuan Bean, who was fatally shot on Tuesday at Shelby Farms Park, as the community gathered to mourn and support his family. (See Video)

➤ Knox County: Fire crews continue battling a brush fire on Knox County’s House Mountain, digging containment lines as dry conditions limit water use, while calmer winds overnight helped crews monitor and hold the fire. (See Video)

➤ Jackson: City officials launched a $10 million street resurfacing plan, using contractors for major roads and city crews with new equipment for neighborhood streets, as work progresses based on weather. (More)

➤ West Tennessee: Authorities indicted 19 people in a large-scale meth trafficking case spanning West Tennessee after a two-year investigation, alleging a coordinated network distributed drugs from May 2024 to February 2026. (Details)

➤ Vanderbilt landed a commitment from four-star tight end Grant Haviland, ESPN’s top-ranked tight end in the 2027 class. The 6-foot-5 Georgia native chose the Commodores over Georgia, Ohio State, and Tennessee. (More)

➤ Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos was frustrated after missing the postseason yet again: “My expectation when I signed here was to be playing playoff hockey, and we haven’t done that.” (More)

➤ No. 7 Tennessee softball fell 6-3 to No. 17 Duke on Wednesday night after giving up a three-run homer in the first inning. The Lady Vols loaded the bases in the seventh, but couldn’t complete the comeback. (More)

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➤ Protomet is training employees at its Loudon County plant to use artificial intelligence in daily work while reaffirming its commitment to remain a “very human company.” (More)

➤ The Hamilton County Commission plans to move its business incubator to the Franklin-Roberts Future Ready Center downtown, despite objections from current occupants. (Details)

➤ Nolan’s Nest, a new daycare in west Madison County, is offering extended hours for parents who work beyond the traditional 9-to-5 schedule. (More)

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Is Houston the New Silicon Valley?

Big Tech was once fueled by Silicon Valley’s innovation. The next phase? It’ll run on infrastructure, with Houston its new capital.
Apple. Google. OpenAI. Amazon. Meta. They’re all building massive AI operations in Texas, part of 440+ new data centers planned for the state.

But getting new electricity online to power them takes years. Enter American PowerGen. Led by experienced energy developers with $5B worth of project acquisitions to buyers like Blackstone, they’re experts.

In fact, they’ve already received multiple acquisition offers from institutional buyers for their current project, which will supply enough energy to power 3M homes.

But American PowerGen isn’t interested in making institutional investors richer. They’re inviting you to become a shareholder and own a piece of this infrastructure boom today.

➤ Gov. Bill Lee signed a new law on Thursday, making it a Class B misdemeanor for anyone to feed black bears in areas where notices prohibiting it have been placed. (More)

➤ The Tennessee Renaissance Festival returns to Williamson County in May for its 40th season, transforming Castle Park into a lively 16th-century village with artisans, performances, and handcrafted goods. (Details)

➤ Nash Yarn Fest kicks off today at The Fairgrounds in Nashville, bringing together knitters and fiber artists with 90-plus vendors from 30 states, Canada, and the UK, plus food and coffee. (Details)

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➤ Use Manuka Honey like this to suck fungus out of your nails. Studies suggest a simple tweak to your morning routine may help eliminate nail fungus for good. Apply manuka honey first thing daily to target fungus, soothe itching and burning, and support skin healing. It takes under 10 seconds—yet the results can be life-changing. Try this antifungal trick today!

Do you know how to knit or crochet?

Previous Results:

When was the last time you rode a bike?

Years ago: 49%
Last year: 17%
Last week: 12%
Last month: 12%
Never: 10%

Which Disney teen movie from 2009 was filmed in Tennessee?

Show me the answer

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This offering involves promissory notes and is conducted under Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF). Investments in this offering are speculative and involve significant risks, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please review the full offering documents, including risk factors, before investing. Investments are subject to the limitations and requirements of Reg CF
This offering involves promissory notes and is conducted under Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF). Investments in this offering are speculative and involve significant risks, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please review the full offering documents, including risk factors, before investing. Investments are subject to the limitations and requirements of Reg CF

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Friday, April 17, 2026

Friday, April 17, 2026

State Budget Proposal Released

House Passes Charlie Kirk Act

Nashville Resident Stars in ‘Jury Duty’

One Email. All The Tennessee News.

Get Informed About The Volunteer State In 5 Minutes.

One Email. All The Tennessee News.

Get Informed About The Volunteer State In 5 Minutes.