Monday, September 29, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1864, after Union leadership learned of General John Bell Hood’s plan to cut supply lines, Major General George H. Thomas was sent to Nashville to organize Union forces in Tennessee and safeguard supply pathways.

Today’s edition details a first-of-its-kind procedure in which doctors at Zoo Knoxville and the University of Tennessee collaborated to save Mwelu the chimpanzee. See details in the story below.

From White Castle fryers to Amazon-backed AI breakthroughs, today’s sponsor Miso Robotics is reshaping the $1T fast food industry—and now you can invest alongside 40,000 others in its rapid growth.

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.

Students Sue University over Mold Illnesses

Seven students are suing the University of the South in Sewanee for $35 million, claiming toxic black mold in a freshman dorm made them chronically ill.

The lawsuit alleges the university ignored repeated complaints about conditions in Johnson Hall during the 2024 school year.

Students reported widespread symptoms like nosebleeds, fatigue, and breathing issues, with the illness being nicknamed the “Johnson Cough.”

The university allegedly blamed the symptoms on open windows and dirty rooms, not the mold.

Landslide Shuts Down Gatlinburg Bypass

Heavy rain triggered a landslide Saturday that shut down the Gatlinburg Bypass, completely blocking the road, according to park rangers and WBIR in Knoxville.

Sevier County officials also reported flooding across the area, forcing closures on multiple roads.

The storm system brought scattered showers and left parts of Gatlinburg struggling with both debris and high water.

Locals and visitors are urged to check the National Park Service for ongoing updates.

Chimp at Zoo Knoxville Gets Spinal Surgery

A chimpanzee named Mwelu at Zoo Knoxville underwent a groundbreaking spinal surgery to remove a tumor compressing his spinal cord.

The procedure, believed to be the first of its kind on a chimp, was performed by a team of veterinary and human neurologists from the University of Tennessee. See Mwelu here.

Mwelu had shown signs of leg weakness, prompting an MRI that revealed the issue.

The chimp is now healing in quarantine and showing encouraging signs of improvement.

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Jeff Bezos Says This New Breakthrough is Like “Science Fiction.”

He called it “a renaissance,” the “golden age.” And investors are taking advantage.

In fact, nearly 40,000 people have already invested in an Amazon-partnered startup that’s already making the $1T fast food industry feel like The Jetsons.

Miso Robotics’ AI-powered kitchen robot, Flippy, has fried 4M baskets of food for brands like White Castle with perfect consistency. With the $1T fast food industry facing 144% employee turnover and up to $20/hour minimum wages, that’s big.

So are Miso’s other partnerships with NVIDIA and Uber’s AI team. No wonder initial units of Miso’s newest Flippy sold out in just one week.

Now, Miso is scaling its US-based manufacturing to address 100,000+ fast food, stadium, and theme park locations in need—a $4B/year revenue opportunity. Invest today to unlock up to 8% bonus stock.

➤ Sumner County: The school district will observe a Charlie Kirk Day of Peaceful Civic Discourse to promote respectful dialogue without official programming. (More)

➤ Memphis: Gov. Bill Lee announced that up to 150 state National Guard troops and agents from 13 federal agencies will arrive in Memphis next week to fight crime. (See Details)

➤ Washington County: Hundreds gathered on Saturday to mark one year since Hurricane Helene with a community event titled “A Day When Reflection Gives Way to Hope.” (More)

➤ Corryton: A minor chemistry lab incident at Gibbs High School prompted a precautionary lockdown Friday morning, though officials say no major injuries occurred and classes continued. (More)

➤ Rutherford County: Oakland High School celebrated a $61 million expansion on Sunday, featuring new classrooms, an auditorium, and a state-of-the-art BioSTEM lab. (More)

➤ Nashville: The 56th Nashville Film Festival concluded with awards recognizing standout creations, including several short films that now qualify for Oscar consideration. (More)

➤ No. 15 Tennessee scored a game-tying touchdown with under two minutes remaining in regulation en route to beating undefeated Mississippi State 41-34 in overtime. (Watch Video)

➤ Diego Pavia threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns as No. 18 Vanderbilt racked up 546 total yards in a 55-35 win over Utah State. (Recap)

➤ The Tennessee Titans were shut out 26-0 by the Houston Texans yesterday. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons summed it up by saying, “We are playing bad football, it’s simple.” (More)

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➤ Toys“R”Us opened a new store at Nashville’s Tanger Outlets, marking its first standalone location in the area since its 2018 bankruptcy and continuing the brand’s national comeback. (More)

➤ Elon Musk’s xAI has secured a federal contract to provide its Grok chatbot to U.S. agencies through 2027, offering access at a lower cost than competitors. (More)

➤ Tavern, a longtime staple in Midtown Nashville, has permanently closed after 14 years to make way for Bar Roka, a new Japanese izakaya bar opening later this year. (More)

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How a $25M Catalyst Could Bring Robotics Nationwide

Automation is the future. But 71% of execs say upfront costs prevent its adoption. That’s why Miso Robotics’ recent announcement of its new $25M hardware financing facility for customers turned a lot of heads.

A first-mover in kitchen automation, Miso’s AI-powered robots have already logged 200k+ hours in kitchens for brands like White Castle.

With this $25M line and partnerships with NVIDIA, Amazon, and Uber’s AI team, Miso unlocks quick, flexible adoption of cutting-edge automation. And with 144% labor turnover industry-wide and up to $20/hour minimum wages, it couldn’t be more needed.

The demand is there. Initial units of Miso’s newest robot sold out in just one week. Now, the biggest hurdle to automation adoption in a $1 trillion industry may be gone.

Get up to 8% investor bonus stock today as Miso scales across a $4B/year revenue opportunity.

This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.

➤ The WilCo Pow Wow returned to the Wilson County Fairgrounds over the weekend, showcasing Native American culture through dance, music, and traditional foods like buffalo burgers and fry bread. (See Photo)

➤ Oak Ridge launched its first-ever Atomic Fall Fest this past weekend at A.K. Bissell Park. The event rebranded the former Secret City Festival with live music, food trucks, and historical exhibits. (More)

➤ The Kingsport Public Library will celebrate Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, with a free launch party on Friday. The event includes karaoke and friendship bracelet-making. (See Details)

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