Thursday, August 6, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1945, the United States dropped the “Little Boy” uranium bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, using material produced in Oak Ridge.

For the first time since Jimmy Carter was in the White House, Sevier County is about to elect a new mayor as longtime Mayor Larry Waters retires after 48 years. See details in the story below.

Some debates polarize a family faster than almost anything else, and this is one of them. Do adult children owe their aging parents care, or is it entirely a choice? Some Americans say kids have a responsibility to step up. But in 29 states, it’s more than a moral question. The law can actually force you to pay, and one son learned that the hard way when a court handed him his mother’s $93,000 nursing home bill. So where does obligation end and choice begin? Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla breaks down both sides of the fight. Tune in here!

What if coal could be transformed into cleaner fuels instead of being burned? Later today, keep an eye out for a message from our partner, Frontieras, about its technology and today’s investment deadline.

Today’s sponsor is hear.com, introducing AI-powered Horizon IX hearing aids designed to deliver clearer conversations by separating speech from background noise.

Gov. Lee Backs Ogles Challenger

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee endorsed Republican Charlie Hatcher in today’s GOP primary against two-term incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles in the state’s 5th Congressional District.

Lee, who said he and Hatcher have been friends for 25 years, threw his weight behind the challenger in local coverage of the endorsement.

The move breaks with President Trump, who has backed Ogles, setting up a rare and public split between Tennessee’s governor and the president within the same party and testing how much sway each holds over Republican voters.

The winner of today’s primary is heavily favored in the reliably red district, potentially making the contest the real fight for the seat.

Eminent Domain OKed to Block Data Center

Nashville’s Metro Council voted 27 to 5 on Tuesday night to authorize eminent domain to acquire land near the Nashville Zoo, halting a data center planned by the company DC Blox.

DC Blox bought the South Nashville site for $23 million last month, though opponents estimate the city’s cost to take it could top $37 million.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell said the city intends to buy the property for public use, such as Metro offices and training space, pledging to protect the interests of Nashvillians.

The fight reflects growing local backlash to data centers nationwide, with more than 70 active moratoriums and the projects now drawing about 18% of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s power load.

Some Schools to Display Ten Commandments

The Washington County Board of Education voted unanimously to display the Ten Commandments in a prominent spot at each school in the East Tennessee district.

The move follows a Tennessee law passed in May that lets local school boards post the text, along with passages from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution’s preamble.

Board members said the displays will appear in one location per school, such as an entryway, cafeteria, or common area, rather than in every classroom.

The law specifies the exact wording and requires a font no smaller than 26 points, positioning the district to weigh in on a church-state question that has drawn legal challenges in other states.

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➤ Statewide: A report projects Tennessee’s lottery-funded scholarship program faces shortfalls of up to $344 million by 2030, with proceeds down 21.9% since 2022 amid sports-wagering competition. (More)

➤ Nashville: A death row inmate sued Tennessee in federal court, arguing the state denied his right to a private confession before execution. The suit doesn’t challenge the execution itself. (More)

➤ Shelby County: County officials blamed “human error” for one early voting machine missing four judicial races, affecting 307 voters who can’t revote under state law. (See Details)

➤ Also Shelby County: Local activists called on Wilson Air Center to stop servicing ICE flights, saying the group Vecindarios 901 tracked 51 flights carrying detainees out of state since March. (More)

➤ Oak Ridge: The city rang the International Friendship Bell in A.K. Bissell Park at dawn today, tolling it 81 times to mark 81 years since the Hiroshima bombing. (More)

➤ Sevier County: Local voters will choose a new mayor today for the first time in 48 years, as three candidates vie to replace retiring Mayor Larry Waters. (More)

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➤ Tennessee checked in at No. 18 in the first preseason Coaches Poll, the only program from the state to crack the top 25. (More)

➤ Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was ejected from practice this week after throwing a punch at right tackle JC Latham during a team drill. Head coach Robert Saleh stopped practice and sent Simmons to a side field to finish his workout. (More)

➤ The Nashville Predators Foundation is hosting the inaugural Smashville Paddle Battle, a charity pickleball tournament, on Aug. 29 in Hendersonville. Registration includes a Preds-branded paddle and tickets to two preseason games. (More)

➤ Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel profanely ripped the NCAA at his fall camp press conference this week over linebacker Arion Carter’s two-game suspension for a $427 flight from an agent, which Carter repaid in full. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Soccer | Little League Softball World Series

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➤ FedEx filed permits for its Hercules project, a five-story, 1.6 million-square-foot automated small-package sorting facility at the Memphis World Hub. (More)

➤ Tennessee’s tourism economy is up 40% since 2018, with visitor spending hitting a record high, leaders announced in the Great Smoky Mountains. (More)

➤ More than 70 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores across 17 states, including five Tennessee locations, are set to close in the coming weeks. (More)

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➤ Trolleys will return to Memphis’ Main Street this fall after being pulled from the tracks in August 2024 over brake issues that sidelined the vintage fleet. (More)

➤ Baron Von Opperbean, the immersive experience inside the former River Museum at Memphis’ Mud Island Park, drew 10,000 visitors in its first 90 days. (More)

➤ Knoxville’s Women’s Suffrage Museum closed on a second building, allowing it to combine the two into a space it says will be the world’s largest museum of women’s suffrage. (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:

➤ Do you think adult children owe their aging parents care? Tune in to hear both sides of the debate. (Hear Debate)

➤ German authorities scrambled a bomb disposal robot after an explosive-laden drone was found beside a Ukrainian cargo plane. (Hear Episode)

➤ Investigators are searching for answers after a famous influencer was shot and killed in public while livestreaming. (Listen Now)