Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1934, famed blues singer and harmonica player Junior Wells was born in Memphis. Wells is perhaps best remembered for his greatest hit, Messin’ with the Kid.

Is your Christmas shopping coming along well? A new report shows that holiday spending in Tennessee increased by nearly 7% in 2024 after a decline the previous year. See details in the story below.

Speaking of Christmas, if you’re still hunting for the right gift, The Flyover Christmas Guide is the easiest place to finish your list.

Moreover, later today, we’ll send you a quick Brad’s Deals roundup of Amazon Prime perks you might be missing this holiday season.

If you’ve ever wished there were a safer, simpler way to spare kids from painful wisdom-tooth surgery, today’s sponsor, TriAgenics, is turning that hope into a breakthrough opportunity—with major implications for families, dentists, and investors alike.

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.

SCOTUS Nixes Vanity Plate Case

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a free speech challenge over a Tennessee woman’s revoked vanity plate, “69PWNDU,” upholding a state ruling that such plates are considered government speech.

Leah Gilliam argued her plate was a personal expression, not state messaging, and that vague state rules lead to arbitrary censorship.

Tennessee officials stated that the plate contained inappropriate innuendos, while Gilliam claimed it referenced online gaming and the moon landing.

Free-speech advocates warned that the ruling could allow states to sidestep First Amendment protections.

Tennessee Christmas Spending Rebounds

Tennesseans spent 6.7% more this holiday season compared to last year, bouncing back from a 6.3% drop in 2023, according to a new report.

The state ranked 24th nationally in spending growth, with shoppers favoring brick-and-mortar stores—nearly 30% less likely to shop online than the national average.

Nebraska topped the list with a 31.7% spending surge, while Vermont saw the steepest decline.

The report highlights shifting consumer habits and a modest economic upswing in the Volunteer State.

Smokies Mussels Make a Comeback

Freshwater mussels are returning to streams in the Great Smoky Mountains after being nearly wiped out in the 1950s, thanks to a restoration effort led by park biologists and a University of Tennessee grad researcher. See the mussels here.

Early reintroductions of spike mussels and slippershells are showing signs of success, with the mussels adapting well to their environment.

These native species help purify water, support aquatic life, and stabilize streambeds—making them vital to the park’s ecosystem. Learn more about freshwater mussels in Tennessee here.

Flying together with our sponsor

Who loves this more than parents? Investors.

A safer alternative to wisdom tooth removal is a parent’s dream come true.

No more chubby cheeks, missing school or work, or risks of complications.

However, with the market for wisdom tooth extraction worth $5 billion, investors are even more excited about the company making this dream a reality.

Meet TriAgenics. Their proprietary tech uses targeted heat to prevent wisdom teeth from ever forming. After ~1 minute per tooth, children can immediately eat, play, or return to school with no fear of pain.

And it’s not just a win for parents. Dentists unlock revenue they previously had to outsource to oral surgeons.

Next up? FDA clearance. TriAgenics’ goal is to make its revolutionary treatment the new standard of care by 2030. Become an early-stage investor today.

➤ Williamson County: A health advisory was issued after 18 cases of histoplasmosis, a fungal infection linked to inhaling spores from bird or bat droppings, were reported. (More)

➤ Alcoa: Tennessee officials unveiled the KC-46A Pegasus tanker at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, marking its new home after a 20-year effort to secure the aircraft. (See Tanker)

➤ Cocke County: Manes Funeral Home held a Pearl Harbor Day ceremony to honor nine local men, now deceased, who survived the 1941 attack, including a Medal of Honor recipient. (More)

➤ Nashville: The hearing for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant facing human trafficking charges from a 2022 traffic stop, has been canceled, with no new date announced. (More)

➤ Antioch: A water main break at the Ford Ice Center forced the cancellation of all events, with refunds to be issued, as the facility could not maintain rink operations. (More)

➤ Jackson: The city hosted its first-ever Good Tidings Market, where local nonprofits raised funds by offering holiday-themed goods in exchange for donations. (See Photos)

➤ Men’s Basketball AP Poll: Tennessee basketball dropped seven spots to No. 20 in this week’s rankings, while Vanderbilt jumped up two positions to No. 15. (See Full Poll)

➤ Tennessee will play Illinois in Nashville for the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, while Vanderbilt faces Iowa a day later in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Memphis Tigers play NC State in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 19. (See Bowl Schedule)

➤ Meanwhile, the city of Memphis will host Navy and Cincinnati for the Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2, the second college football game to be played in the year 2026. (More)

➤ Lipscomb soccer coach Kevin O’Brien was hired away to become Mississippi State’s next coach—an ironic hire considering the Bisons upset the Bulldogs 1-0 in the NCAA Tournament just a month ago. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Weight‑Loss Breakthrough Doctors actually recommend… delivered to your door. Discover how Eden connects you with licensed providers for personalized GLP-1 treatment, offering tailored care, seamless home delivery, and expert support designed to help you stay on track with your weight-loss goals. (LEARN MORE)

➤ Environmental groups are appealing the Shelby County Health Department’s approval of xAI’s permit to operate 15 methane-gas turbines in Memphis ahead of a public hearing. (More)

➤ A $130 million construction loan has launched the 25-story Voce hotel and condo tower in Midtown Nashville, developed by Vastland Company. (More)

➤ Home BancShares, parent of Centennial Bank, is entering the Tennessee market with a $150 million acquisition of Mountain Commerce Bancorp. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Long-term care isn’t always fully covered by Medicare. Nearly half of Americans over 65 will need long-term care, but Medicare usually doesn’t cover it. See how you can bridge the gap before Medicare enrollment ends on Dec. 7 with Money’s list of the best Long-Term Care Insurance providers.

Flying together with our sponsor

The $540B+ dental industry where investors are all smiles

Dental services. In a market this big, disruptive innovation takes you places.

Take Align Technology, whose Invisalign clear braces made metal braces optional. Meanwhile, Align IPO’d and grew to a valuation of over $11 billion. So, when TriAgenics invented a way to painlessly prevent wisdom teeth from ever forming in approximately 1 minute, investors took notice.

Instead of swollen cheeks, dry sockets, and painful infections, TriAgenics’ patented tech is designed to prevent these problems from ever occurring.

That means children can immediately eat, play, or return to school pain-free. Dentists can unlock the revenue they’ve been losing when referring their patients to expensive oral surgeons. And after FDA certification, TriAgenics believes its treatment will become the industry standard of care within five years of its introduction.

Even better? You can share in TriAgenics’ growth as an early-stage investor today, before this procedure goes industry-wide.

This is a paid advertisement for Triagenics’ Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.triagenics.com/

➤ The Nashville Zoo released nearly 7,000 endangered Puerto Rican Crested Toad tadpoles into native ponds in Puerto Rico as part of a long-running conservation effort. (See Tadpoles)

➤ A Knoxville church hosted its largest Christmas giveaway to date, providing gifts, games, and support to hundreds of foster, adoptive, and kinship families. (See Video)

➤ A Chattanooga teen was honored as a CNN Heroes Young Wonder for removing over 45,000 pounds of trash from the Tennessee River and recycling thousands of miles of fishing line. (See Teen)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ If you’re struggling to urinate, dealing with pain, or only squeezing out a few drops, toxic mineral buildup—sometimes over 2 pounds—could be clogging your prostate. Studies show that the more waste you carry, the closer you are to serious issues. Researchers developed a simple 5-second belly test to reveal the problem fast. Take the quick test to learn how to unclog your prostate at home.

Have you been ice-skating this winter?

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What’s your favorite kind of takeout?

Chinese: 28%
Mexican: 25%
Other (reply to tell us!): 24%
Italian: 23%

What prehistoric-sounding cat breed was discovered in Chattanooga in 2004?

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Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

SCOTUS Nixes Vanity Plate Case

Tennessee Christmas Spending Rebounds

Smokies Mussels Make a Comeback

One Email. All The Tennessee News.

Get Informed About The Volunteer State In 5 Minutes.

One Email. All The Tennessee News.

Get Informed About The Volunteer State In 5 Minutes.