Saturday, October 10, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1926, the Tennessee Monument to the Women of the Confederacy, a bronze sculpture created by Belle Kinney, was officially dedicated in the southwest corner of Nashville’s Legislative Plaza to honor Southern women of the Civil War.

October is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. See how a West Tennessee community is raising awareness for both causes throughout the month in Et Cetera.

Is the government really about to hand you $1,000 a year for retirement? The IRS has started mailing notices to millions of Americans about a new program that deposits federal matching money directly into retirement accounts, rather than just shave it off your tax bill. But there’s a catch. Plenty of savers will get the full $1,000, while others won’t see a dime, and the difference comes down to a few details on your tax return. So who qualifies, and how do you actually claim the money? Amy has the full story on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor is Curated Gift Guides, rounding up 37 of the most useful and ingenious gadgets of 2026 designed to solve everyday problems and make great gifts.

Nuclear Headquarters Opens in Oak Ridge

Amentum opened its global nuclear headquarters on Lafayette Drive in Oak Ridge on Thursday, putting more than 150 engineers and technical specialists in charge of the contractor’s nuclear work around the world.

The Fortune 500 company is one of the federal government’s largest contractors, and it already leads the Energy Department’s environmental cleanup of the Oak Ridge Reservation. Amentum is based in Chantilly, Virginia, and employs about 50,000 people in more than 70 countries.

The company also started a scholarship pipeline with Roane State Community College and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, backed by $500,000 over five years. With its other STEM giving in Oak Ridge, support for the two schools now tops $1 million.

CEO John Heller and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, (R), cut the ribbon Thursday. Executive Mark Whitney said centralizing the company’s international nuclear operations in Oak Ridge will help meet rising U.S. electricity demand.

Bail Amendment Goes before Voters

Tennessee voters will decide Nov. 3 whether judges can deny bail to people charged with violent crimes including second-degree murder, terrorism, aggravated rape, and dozens of other felonies.

Right now the state constitution guarantees bail for almost every charge, with first-degree murder and rape of a child under 12 the only exceptions. Amendment 1 would add those crimes plus any felony requiring 85% of a sentence served, 73 offenses in all.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, who sponsored the measure, called it a bipartisan effort backed by every district attorney, sheriff, and police chief in Tennessee. Judges would get the discretion to deny bail, he said, not an obligation.

Nashville defense attorney David Raybin says judges already weigh criminal history, missed court dates, and community ties, and that the amendment would mainly expand the state’s power to jail people before conviction. It’s one of three constitutional questions on the ballot.

Record Harvest after a Dry Summer

West Tennessee farmers who spent the summer watching their fields bake are hauling in one of the best harvests in recent memory.

It didn’t look that way in the spring, when drought pushed the federal government to designate 29 Tennessee counties as primary natural disaster areas on May 6, opening the door to emergency loans. University of Tennessee crop physiologist Avat Shekoofa warned then that heat plus thin rainfall would make the season “very challenging.”

Combines rolled into the fields in August, and yields came in above average from the first rows cut.

Grain came off about two weeks early, even with high diesel prices and a Mississippi River that dropped below zero on the Memphis gauge. “We’re seeing some record corn and bean yields,” grain broker Lewis Williamson said.

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The 37 Best Gadgets of 2026 You Won’t Find in Stores

The best gadgets aren’t just cool… they solve real everyday problems. From clutter-busting tools to clever tech upgrades, these picks are making waves for their usefulness and ingenuity. We’ve rounded up the most talked-about items that people can’t stop adding to their carts.

Each one combines practical function with a touch of genius, making them perfect for your home, office, or even as gifts. But be warned… demand is skyrocketing, and these top gadgets are already selling out faster than expected.

Learn More

➤ Nashville: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released the name of the suspect who charged toward a U.S. Marshals Service Contracted Security Officer with a pistol and knife at the downtown federal courthouse on Thursday. Identified as 42-year-old Jack Henson II from out-of-state, he was fatally shot by the security officer after refusing orders to stop. (See Update)

➤ Putnam County: Two kayakers got stranded a quarter-mile downstream of Burgess Falls Wednesday night after one of their kayaks took on water and sank, leaving them to paddle the other one to shore. The Putnam County Rescue Squad responded and assisted the kayakers to safety. (More)

➤ Henderson County: A teenager was killed Thursday afternoon when a logging truck and another vehicle collided on Highway 22A near Poorhouse Road around 3 p.m. Sgt. Charles Childers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol confirmed the death. (More)

➤ Hamilton County: The school board voted 9-0-1 Thursday night to partner with LifeSpring Community Health on a health clinic at The Howard School. Members said Erlanger struggled to staff the clinic it opened in a 2024 partnership. (More)

➤ Clarksville: A vehicle hit a 63-year-old bicyclist on Trenton Road near Spring Creek Baptist Church around 6:16 a.m., and police shut the road down before reopening it. The cyclist is in stable condition at Vanderbilt Clarksville. (More)

➤ Brownsville: Residents wore pink and purple for the city’s “Walk with the Mayor” on Thursday, raising awareness for breast cancer and domestic violence. The next walk is Oct. 25 at L.Z. Hurley Memorial Stadium. (Watch Report)

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➤ Summertown’s Lady Eagles won their seventh Class A girls golf state title Tuesday at Sevierville Golf Club, their first since 2023. The two-day, 12-over par 302 held off Springfield and Greeneville by two strokes. (See Scores)

➤ In high school football, the Brentwood Academy Eagles edged the Briarcrest Christian Saints 34-31, extending its undefeated streak to seven games. The Eagles (7-0) will now prepare for their contest against Father Ryan. (See Score)

➤ Clarksville High’s girls soccer team trailed Kirkwood 1-0 in the 73rd minute of the District 13-AAA title game, then came back on the road to win 4-2 on penalty kicks for its second straight district crown. (See Details)

➤ Greeneville’s North Greene High School football coaches learned sign language to communicate with one of their quarterbacks, who is deaf. Head coach Eric Tilson and his staff changed how the Huskies’ sideline talks to him. (Learn More)

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Genius Gadgets: The 37 That Actually Earn Their Keep

Smart shoppers know the secret: the best gadgets earn their keep. These 37 picks prove it. They aren’t gimmicks or dust collectors, they’re practical innovations that deliver real value every single day.

Whether you’re organizing your space, upgrading your routine, or getting a head start on gifts, this list highlights what’s genuinely worth buying right now. The catch? These popular items are selling faster than anticipated, so availability won’t last.

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➤ A veterans’ garden planted in red, white, and blue opened Thursday at the Ivan Racheff House near Knoxville’s Lonsdale neighborhood. Garden clubs dedicated the spot, open to the public, which honors Blue Star veterans and Gold Star families. (See Garden)

➤ The longest mullet on record belongs to Knoxville’s Tami Manis, whose 5-foot-8-inch locks have brought her Guinness recognition and interview requests from around the world. (See Mullet)

➤ Billboard named the University of Memphis Music Business program one of its top global music business programs this year. Faculty said the recognition could help attract more students. (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, straight from the heart of the country.

➤ The IRS is mailing notices about $1,000 in free retirement money, but strict cutoffs apply. (Listen Now)

➤ This year’s Nobel Peace Prize went to a South African jurist, drawing swift condemnation from Israel. (Hear Details)

➤ Severe turbulence forced a Colombia-to-New York flight to divert to Miami, sending at least eight people to the hospital. (Podcast Available)