Monday, June 2, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1930, actor Richard McKenzie—known for his versatile Hollywood career featuring roles in series like MacGyver and All in the Family—was born in Chattanooga.

Readers of the cat-loving variety should take note of a Williamson County vet clinic’s warning that lone star ticks have sparked a deadly surge of Bobcat Fever. Read more about the outbreak in the story below.

Attention movie lovers, our sponsor today is Legion M, which is giving you an opportunity to invest in an up-and-coming movie studio.

Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

TN Guard Heads to Kuwait for Year-Long Mission

Over 260 Tennessee National Guard soldiers departed Saturday from Knoxville and Smyrna for a year-long mission in Kuwait.

The troops, part of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, are training in Texas before joining Operation Spartan Shield to support the U.S. military presence in the region.

The deployed guard will relieve nearly 700 fellow Tennesseans who’ve been actively serving since October.

Another 160 soldiers from the same unit are currently in Germany training alongside Ukrainian forces.

Pastor Publishes Book After Covenant Shooting

Woodmont Christian Church Pastor Clay Stauffer has written a book inspired by the 2023 Covenant School shooting in Nashville, which claimed six lives—including 9-year-old Evelyn Dieckhaus, a member of his congregation.

The book, What the World Needs Now: Virtue and Character in an Age of Chaos, addresses social division, fear, and anger from a Christian perspective.

It features 30 short chapters aimed at readers from all walks of life, offering timeless values and guidance. The book is available online and at local bookstores.

$1.5M Pledged to Rebuild Clayborn Temple

National groups have pledged $1.5 million to restore Memphis’ historic Clayborn Temple, a Civil Rights landmark damaged by arson in April.

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, Mellon Foundation, and Ford Foundation are leading the effort as part of a larger preservation campaign set to launch soon.

At a press conference marking one month since the fire, leaders, including Martin Luther King III and Congressman Steve Cohen emphasized the temple’s role in the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike and broader civil rights legacy.

The campaign aims to draw more national support to reclaim what King called “a sanctuary of purpose.”

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Emmy-Winning Founders Flip the Script on Hollywood

Hollywood said no. 50,000+ fans said yes.

After hitting 800+ theaters last February, My Dead Friend Zoe quickly became one of the year’s best-reviewed films. Starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman, it boasts a 🍅95% Rotten Tomatoes score, making it one of the best-reviewed movies in Morgan Freeman’s career.

The interesting thing is…the movie was developed, financed, and produced by Legion M—a movie studio OWNED BY FANS.

How does it work? At most studios, a handful of execs decide what gets made. At Legion M, fans lead the way. They believe people like you, who buy the tickets and pay the subscriptions, know what’s best, so they open the doors for you to own early-stage stock in the studio, get red-carpet perks, and have a seat at the table deciding what gets made.

They might be onto something. In just the past few months, Legion M has:

Released one of the year’s best-reviewed films
Closed a 7-figure international rights deal with Universal
Paid out over $1M in royalties to investors

With 54,000+ investors on board (plus a billion-dollar producer, award-winning stars, and current/former execs from Netflix, Lucasfilm, Disney, Amazon, and Legendary), the Legion M moonshot is well on its way.

But it’s not too late for you to join them.

Just be sure to invest before Legion M’s round ends TOMORROW at midnight!

➤ Shelby County: Officials have rejected the county’s designation as a sanctuary jurisdiction, pushing back on the Department of Homeland Security and asserting that they follow federal immigration laws and support enforcement authorities. (More)

➤ Nashville: An ICU nurse reunited with the man she saved with CPR last month after he collapsed and hit his head at a grocery store, saying, “Being a nurse for so long, you just know what to do.” (See Reunion Video)

➤ Loudon County: A fast-moving storm hit Philadelphia Friday morning, damaging multiple buildings, injuring four people, and knocking down trees and power lines. (See Damage)

➤ Bristol: The school district launched its Summer Free Meals Program, providing weekly meal kits with breakfast, lunch, and milk to children under 18 to help families fight food insecurity. (See Details)

➤ Chattanooga: Grace Baptist Church and Academy was awarded $36.9 million from the federal government for repairs following a five-year delay and FEMA funding hurdles after sustaining EF-3 tornado damage. (See Photos)

➤ Williamson County: A local vet clinic is warning cat owners after a surge in deadly Bobcat Fever cases—spread by lone star ticks—killed most infected cats within days despite treatment. (More)

➤ Wright State pulled off a stunning 5-4 win over No. 1 overall seed Vanderbilt in an elimination game Sunday, making Vanderbilt the first No. 1 overall seed in tournament history to be eliminated before the regional final. (More)

➤ Wake Forest beat Tennessee 7-6 in Sunday’s Knoxville Regional of the 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament, handing the Vols their first home regional loss since falling to Wake Forest in 2001. The teams will play again today in an elimination game. (More)

➤ Ryan Blaney secured his first 2025 NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday at the Cracker Barrel 400, finishing 2.830 seconds ahead of runner-up Carson Hocevar. (More)

➤ Nashville Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault may be traded this offseason after he criticized the way Predators head coach Andrew Brunette ran the team’s offense earlier this season. (More)

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➤ $1.5 billion in tax refunds were awarded to nearly 16,000 companies to strengthen business investment and economic growth, with state officials highlighting the move as a strategy to support job creators and long-term development. (More)

➤ Dollar General employees rallied in Antioch to demand better safety measures during the company’s annual shareholder meeting, including a human rights policy that protects workers from legal and safety risks. (More)

➤ The Tennessee Main Street Program’s annual conference comes to Greeneville in mid-June, alongside a visit from the state’s Economic Development team to review disaster recovery efforts and assess key local projects. (More)

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Last Call to Invest in a Rising Star

Think a fan-owned company can’t make it in Hollywood? Think again.

Legion M is a studio on the rise. In the last few months, they released one of 2025’s best-reviewed films, closed a 7-figure international rights deal, and paid out over $1,000,000 in returns to investors in its movies. 2025 revenue is already 150% of last year’s…even though it’s only May!

When you invest in Legion M, you’re buying early-stage stock in the company. You’re betting they get big enough to IPO or have an exit. The risk is that they die trying.

Could Legion M turn into the next Netflix? There’s only one way to find out…

Get in before it’s too late —the offer ends at midnight tomorrow!

This is a paid advertisement for Legion M’s Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.legionm.com.

➤ A pet zebra caused highway chaos in Rutherford County after escaping onto I-24 and vanishing into nearby woods, prompting a search by authorities and warnings to the public. (See Zebra)

➤A candlelit dinner set in a flowing creek is being offered by BAMFoods Catering and Edible Nashville for $206 per person, including five farm-to-table courses blending fine dining with nature. (See Photos)

➤ 67-year-old Memphis resident Robert Campbell is giving back by handing out free meals from his food truck and offering lawn care at no cost, saying serving his community brings him joy and purpose after retirement. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The 5 “Bone-Dissolving” Foods Hiding in Your Kitchen. Think you’re protecting your bones by getting calcium and vitamin D? What your doctor hasn’t told you is that certain everyday foods are quietly dissolving your bone density right under your nose. Before you take another calcium supplement or reach for that “healthy” breakfast, discover what might be secretly stealing your skeletal strength and independence. (Learn More)