Saturday, June 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1905, jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, better known as Doc Cheatham was born in Nashville. His career spanned an incredible seven decades. Though celebrated in his early years as a reliable, non-soloing lead trumpeter in major big bands, he defied the odds by reinventing himself in his 70s to become an internationally acclaimed jazz soloist.

Have you experienced passive-aggressive drivers where you drive? A new study lists three routes in Tennessee as the state’s worst. See which ones in Top Stories.

The Pentagon just dropped its third batch of UFO files, and this time, we’re not just going to report what was in the folder, but instead move to the real question: Is there intelligent life out there? We’ll give you the strongest arguments on both sides, and then reveal what your fellow Americans actually believe. Tune in to our Flyover Podcast as Amy breaks down where the debate stands on intelligent life beyond earth. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, EnergyX, is helping meet surging lithium demand from AI, EVs, and battery technology with patented extraction tech, major industry backing, and an early-stage investment opportunity before its July 16 deadline.

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.

Law Requires Proof of Citizenship for Driver’s Licenses

A recently passed Tennessee law requires proof of citizenship and proficiency in the English language to obtain a driver’s license and license plate.

House Bill 1708 (passed as Public Chapter 954), was signed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 7. It requires proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for first-time vehicle registration and license plates beginning January 1, 2027. A companion provision, SB 1889 requires driver’s license applicants to demonstrate English proficiency; non-English speakers receive a restricted license and must retest in English within a year.

Supporters, including Rep. Michele Reneau, say the law protects road safety and addresses illegal immigration. “It’s really important for the safety of Tennesseans to be able to make it as difficult as possible, and hopefully that discouragement by not being able to get that license will discourage them from driving,” said Reneau.

Critics, including Chattanooga immigration attorney Terry Olsen, argue English isn’t necessary for safe driving and warn the law could harm Tennessee’s economy and ties with international employers.

UT Journalism Students Earn National Honors

Two University of Tennessee journalism students placed in the top 10 of the 2026 Associated Press Sports Editors Student Contest.

Alex Carpenter and Trevor McGee were among 10 finalists named by APSE judges, according to the contest announcement. Both submitted portfolios that included Paralympics coverage written for USA TODAY.

The honorees also include students from Marquette, Cal-Berkeley, Florida, Maryland, UCLA, and Syracuse. Each finalist entered three pieces of work covering April 2025 through April 2026, and the overall winner will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tennessee’s Most ‘Passive-Aggressive’ Roads

Three Tennessee roads have been named the state’s most passive-aggressive routes, according to a new study by American River Wellness, which surveyed 3,011 drivers nationwide.

West End Avenue in Nashville ranked 29th nationally, Kingston Pike in Knoxville placed 30th, and Poplar Avenue in Memphis came in 33rd.

The survey defined passive-aggressive driving as subtle discourtesy, such as blocking merges, closing gaps when drivers signal, and obstructing intersections.

Tennesseans cited last-second lane cutting as the most common offense, with young drivers and daily commuters identified as the likeliest culprits.

AI’s 80,000-Ton Battery Problem

As AI infrastructure explodes, so does lithium demand. Google’s AI data centers currently use 100M+ lithium-ion cells for reliable, always-on power.

The problem? Big Tech’s race to build massive new data center capacity has Morgan Stanley forecasting an 80k-ton lithium shortage this year.

Few companies are better positioned to benefit than EnergyX. Their patented tech produces up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods at speeds 500X faster than evaporation ponds.

Beyond the tech, they have rights to ~150,000 acres of lithium-rich land across North and South America, and they’ve just announced plans for their second lithium production plant in America. Now, they hold rights to up to 13M tons of lithium across North and South America.

Industry leaders like General Motors and POSCO have already invested. Join them as an early-stage EnergyX shareholder before the 7/16 deadline.

➤ Statewide: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reported results from the 2026 spring turkey hunting season stating a total of 34,990 birds were harvested, the fourth-highest reported harvest on record. (Details)

➤ Murfreesboro: City Council advanced a proposed Memorial Boulevard Kroger after developers agreed to drainage improvements, fewer parking spaces, and shifting the building away from neighbors concerned about stormwater flooding. (More)

➤ Cookeville: The Voice winner, Jake Hoot, returned to Tennessee Tech University to assist with a project documenting Cookeville’s music scene and help with local music-history preservation efforts. (More)

➤ Spring Hill: A Marshall County woman was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after she reportedly crashed into a vacant house early Thursday morning. (More)

➤ Statewide: Rich Products Corp. is voluntarily recalling more than 6,000 cases of its frozen pizza product called Farm Rich Pizza Cheese Crunchers that were sold in 21 states, including Tennessee, because it may contain metal pieces. (More)

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➤ Former LSU football coach Brian Kelly is serving as an unpaid consultant for Memphis’ first-year coach Charles Huff, who said he wanted “P4 eyes” on the Tigers’ football program. (More)

➤ Tennessee sophomore shot putter JL Van Rensburg finished second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this week with a throw of 66 feet, 8.5 inches, the best finish in the event in program history. (More)

➤ Titans coach Robert Saleh has praised second-year quarterback Cam Ward throughout OTAs, declaring his arm “perfectly healthy” after the shoulder injury that ended his rookie season. Ward threw for 3,169 yards and 15 touchdowns as a rookie. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | NCAA World Series | WNBA | Golf

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Exxon Has an Unlikely New Competitor

Energy giants like Exxon have been buying land in America’s lithium hotspot. Now they’ve got a new neighbor.

EnergyX acquired the rights to 35k gross acres of lithium-rich land right next door. It’s not just the acres turning heads, either. Their tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than usual methods.

Now they’re preparing to drill and unlock America’s next major lithium supply. General Motors and 50k+ everyday people already invested. Invest in EnergyX before their July 16 investment deadline.

➤ VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System hosted Women Veterans Recognition Day events in Murfreesboro and Chattanooga on Friday, offering health information, resources, and recognition activities for women veterans and their families. (More)

➤ Organizers opened the St. Jude Dream Home for free public tours this weekend in Harrison, giving visitors a preview of the house while supporting fundraising efforts for pediatric cancer research and treatment. (More)

➤ A new Japanese restaurant, Mumashika, opened in downtown Chattanooga, expanding local dining options and bringing additional international cuisine to the city’s growing restaurant and hospitality market. (More)

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