Friday, October 2, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1954, a 19-year-old Elvis Presley made his one and only Grand Ole Opry appearance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, singing Blue Moon of Kentucky to a lukewarm crowd. Read the story here.

One Tennessee bowler celebrated his 13th birthday in a way most of us only dream about. See how in Et Cetera, and hit reply to tell us about the best birthday you ever had.

Today’s sponsor is Aerless Vacuum Travel Bags, helping fall travelers pack bulky sweaters, jackets, and layers while saving up to 60% of valuable luggage space.

Pike Hospitalized After Failed Execution

Christa Pike survived two doses of execution drugs Wednesday night and is now hospitalized in critical condition, according to her attorneys.

Gov. Bill Lee ordered a “comprehensive, third-party review” of what happened and called off the state’s remaining execution scheduled for this year.

The Department of Correction said it followed every step of the state’s approved protocol, while Pike’s attorneys called the attempt “cruel” and are urging Lee to commute her sentence.

It’s Tennessee’s second failed execution this year after Tony Carruthers’ was called off in May. The state hasn’t said whether Pike will get a new execution date.

Spring Hill Lands $1B Battery Upgrade

Ultium Cells, a joint venture of GM and LG Energy Solution, is investing $1 billion in its Spring Hill plant to become the first facility in the world to mass-produce lithium manganese-rich, or LMR, battery cells.

The company says the cells pack 33% more energy than lithium iron phosphate, today’s leading affordable battery chemistry.

The expansion is expected to create 500 new jobs, with production set to begin in 2028.

The project brings Ultium’s total investment at the Spring Hill site to $3.5 billion, following multibillion-dollar projects there in 2021 and 2022.

Jelly Roll Lists $7M Franklin Mansion

Country music artist Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo have listed their custom-built estate in Franklin for just under $7 million following their divorce, according to real-estate reports.

The property sits on nearly 10 acres and has more than 7,000 square feet of living space, with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

The mansion includes luxurious features like a finished basement, a resort-style pool, a chef’s kitchen, an automotive showroom, and resort-style outdoor amenities. See photos here.

The couple finalized their divorce in July after nearly 10 years of marriage. Court documents showed that their settlement addressed their homes, cars, aircraft, and intellectual property, along with a confidential one-time payment from Jelly Roll to Bunnie Xo.

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➤ Statewide: Sen. Marsha Blackburn has sued former special counsel Jack Smith, alleging her phone records were unlawfully seized during his Jan. 6 investigation. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: TEMA received a $10.6 million federal grant to upgrade Tennessee’s emergency warning systems, adding alert pathways and improving coverage through 2029. (See Details)

➤ Gatlinburg: Anakeesta’s AnaVista Tower glowed orange for Hunger Action Day to raise awareness for Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. (See Video)

➤ Knoxville: Knoxville Area Transit dropped a bus stop at North Knoxville’s Broadway Shopping Center at the request of the Kroger there. Riders can still reach the store from nearby stops. (More)

➤ Memphis: Authorities seized 30,000 packs of illegal kratom from a local shop, according to the district attorney’s office. (More)

➤ Chattanooga: VA Secretary Doug Collins and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann held a roundtable with local residents on veterans’ policy. (See Story)

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➤ The Tennessee Titans will visit Baltimore on Sunday for their first matchup with former star running back Derrick Henry since he left Tennessee after the 2023 season. (See Preview)

➤ Vols starting offensive guard Wendell Moe Jr. is expected to miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury, the latest in a string of season-ending injuries for Tennessee. (More)

➤ The Predators have created 1,000 limited-edition Hatch Show Print posters, made with game-used pucks and skate laces, to celebrate Bridgestone Arena’s 30th anniversary. Proceeds benefit two local charities. (See Poster)

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➤ A $25 million outdoor hotel, Ofland Smoky Mountains, broke ground in Townsend with 75 cabins on 27 acres. It’s set to open in summer 2027. (More)

➤ A Knoxville auto company will pay $4.2 million to settle allegations that it falsely certified its loan and loan forgiveness applications. (See Details)

➤ Chattanooga’s EPB hosted its first Quantum in Business conference, bringing business leaders together to explore how quantum technology could be put to work. (More)

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➤ A $4.5 million restoration gave Nashville’s historic Two Rivers Mansion new life, including porch columns that had been held together with two-by-fours. (See Mansion)

➤ Jameson Gardner bowled a perfect 300 game at a Memphis alley on his 13th birthday, a feat that happens in about one of every 11,500 sanctioned league games. (More)

➤ Costumed scuba divers carved jack-o’-lanterns underwater to kick off spooky season at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. (Watch)

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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.

➤ Congress has passed a bill renaming Social Security terms that lawmakers say confuse the millions who retire every year. (Hear Details)

➤ New reporting reveals why body fat is so essential, raising the question of what the right amount is. (Listen Now)

➤ Federal health officials are putting $10 million on the line to revive the Presidential Fitness Test, which researchers say could backfire. (Full Story)