Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1940, Clarksville’s own Wilma Rudolph was born. Rudolph wore a leg brace as a child after battling polio, but grew up to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics, at the 1960 Games in Rome.

Thousands packed Roan Mountain this weekend for the 79th annual Rhododendron Festival, which carried a new title this year: Tennessee’s official state festival. See a recap in the story below.

Today’s sponsor, Oricle Hearing Aids, is helping readers hear more clearly without the sky-high prices—offering a tiny, easy-to-use hearing aid with clear sound and all-day power for under $100.

Musician Says AI Stole 71% of His Songs

A Nashville musician discovered that 71% of his discography, totaling 48 songs, is being used to train AI music models without his permission or payment.

Adam Paddock, who moved to Nashville four years ago and works a serving job in Germantown to fund his music, says the theft is widespread.

Paddock added that friends have had hundreds of songs taken, with no way to stop it, and no one yet held accountable.

A bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn that would make digital replicas of artists illegal without their consent passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this week

Chattanooga Joins Airport Takeover Battle

The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority has filed suit to block a new state law that would vacate its board and hand a majority of appointments to the governor and legislative leaders.

Tennessee lawmakers passed the legislation in April, arguing the state’s roughly $50 million in annual airport funding across five airports justifies a say in governance.

The city’s new lawsuit joins Nashville’s airport authority, which filed a similar challenge earlier this month. The bill affects Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Tri-Cities airports.

Nashville’s legal challenge argues the takeover violates the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, which prohibits states from seizing control of airport authorities that object.

Two East Tennesseans Have a Lucky Weekend

Two East Tennessee residents hit it big over the weekend after a Gatlinburg ticket buyer took home $100,000 in the Powerball Power Play, while a Harrogate winner snagged $30,000 in the Daily Tennessee Jackpot.

The Gatlinburg winner purchased their ticket at Fastop Market on East Parkway, while the Harrogate winner bought theirs at Lee’s Food Mart on Cumberland Gap Parkway in Claiborne County.

A Memphis player also won $130,000 in the Daily Tennessee Jackpot on Saturday night.

The Tennessee Education Lottery has raised more than $8.3 billion for education programs since launching in 2004.

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➤ Statewide: Tennessee’s fertility rate has dropped more than 14% since 2007, mirroring a national trend that saw the U.S. hit a record low of 53.1 births per 1,000 women in 2025. (More)

➤ Knoxville: A ceiling collapsed inside a local home Sunday, trapping two residents briefly before firefighters evacuated them. One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. (More)

➤ Sevierville: SkyLand Ranch is still recovering months after a February fire destroyed two main barns. The owners are awaiting insurance approval before rebuilding. (More)

➤ Memphis: A ground vehicle struck a Southwest Airlines plane during boarding at the airport on Sunday, taking the aircraft out of service with no injuries reported. (More)

➤ Also Memphis: A county commissioner hosted the annual Salute to Fatherhood awards dinner Sunday, honoring fathers and father figures. It was his first year leading the event after his father, who founded it, passed away. (More)

➤ Carter County: Thousands gathered on Roan Mountain this weekend for the 79th annual Rhododendron Festival, newly designated as Tennessee’s official state festival. (More)

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➤ The Memphis Grizzlies will select at No. 3 overall in tonight’s NBA draft. (How to Watch)

➤ Tennessee Tech alumna Brooke Mayo was selected to officiate this summer’s FIFA World Cup as an assistant referee, her first men’s World Cup assignment. Mayo, a 2011 graduate who played soccer at Tech, previously officiated the 2023 Women’s World Cup final and the 2024 Paris Olympics. (More)

➤ FSU and Georgia will play a neutral-site football game at Nashville’s new Nissan Stadium in 2028 after scrapping their previously scheduled home-and-home series. The 60,000-seat venue is set to open in February 2027. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: World Cup | MLB | College World Series | WNBA | Men’s Tennis

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➤ Tennessee’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.6% for a fourth straight month in May, well below the national rate of 4.3%, as employers added 5,700 new jobs. (More)

➤ Bed Bath & Beyond and The Container Store are opening combined co-branded stores in 22 cities, including Nashville, as the two previously bankrupt retailers seek a comeback. (More)

➤ JCPenney closed its RiverGate Mall location for good on Sunday, giving shoppers one final walk through a store that anchored the Nashville-area mall for decades. (Watch Video)

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➤ A Lenoir City family secretly collected around 30 law enforcement patches from agencies across East Tennessee to surprise their veteran sheriff’s deputy dad with a display case for Father’s Day. (See Video)

➤ A traveling fossil museum visited the Jackson-Madison County Library on Saturday, giving kids and adults a free, hands-on look at how fossils form with real specimens on display. (See Fossils)

➤ The Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee contest is accepting nominations through next Tuesday, with the winner announced Sept. 30. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Everyone’s suddenly fighting about tipping, and the rest of the world thinks Americans are the confused ones. (Listen now)

➤ Nearly 50 years after little Etan Patz vanished on his way to the school bus, the Supreme Court just had the final say. (Listen here)

➤ A new book traces a question the Catholic Church keeps reopening but never answers: Were women once ordained as deacons? (Listen here)

Which store do you most wish would make a comeback?

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Do you think schools should ban energy drinks?

Absolutely: 56%
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Definitely not: 13%
Other (reply to tell us!): 12%

In what Tennessee town was the first successful bald eagle nest found in 1983, following years of conservation efforts?

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6688 Nolensville Rd
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Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Musician Says AI Stole 71% of His Songs

Chattanooga Joins Airport Takeover Battle

Two East Tennesseans Have a Lucky Weekend

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