Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 2008, Knoxville-born actor J. Don Ferguson—known for his roles in commercials and in films like Tank and Maximum Overdrive—died of leukemia at age 74.

Beloved Tennessee brand Jack Daniel’s is stirring up controversy in Moore County after ending a decades-old program that provided local farmers with free cattle feed. Read more in Around Tennessee.

Gen Z men are leading a surprising revival in Christianity, now attending church more than women their age for the first time in decades. Some even compare the movement to the spiritual revivals of the 1970s. Host Ayla Brown breaks it down on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Watch here.

Did you know that the team that makes The Tennessee Flyover also produces a national publication called The Flyover? Click here to subscribe and stay up to date with the latest national headlines—without the bias of legacy media outlets.

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Gov. Lee Backs Van Epps in TN House Race

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has endorsed Matt Van Epps in the crowded GOP primary to fill the state’s 7th Congressional District seat, vacated by Rep. Mark Green.

The former special operations pilot and West Point grad already had Green’s backing and is running on a staunchly conservative, pro-Trump platform.

The Oct. 7 primary features 19 candidates overall, including 11 Republicans, with Van Epps positioning himself as the “America First” frontrunner.

The special election is set for Dec. 2 in a deep-red district that President Trump carried by over 20 points.

UT-Battelle Settles Over Vaccine Mandate

UT-Battelle, operator of Oak Ridge National Lab, will pay $2.8 million to employees who were denied religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine mandates, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The agency found the lab violated federal civil rights laws by rejecting accommodation requests and placing workers on unpaid leave.

UT-Battelle agreed to compensatory payouts and HR training, though it maintains that it acted to protect staff during the pandemic.

The settlement follows a similar case resolved in 2024.

Netflix Movie Shines Light on Pegram

The small town of Pegram is grabbing national attention thanks to the hit Netflix movie Ruth & Boaz, now the platform’s top film.

Though mostly filmed in Georgia, the love story is set in Pegram, about 20 miles west of Nashville.

Local leaders hope the buzz brings tourism and business, with the state offering grants to attract more film projects.

The film, produced by Tyler Perry, is a modern take on the biblical tale of Ruth and Boaz.

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➤ Memphis: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on social media Monday that nine arrests were made following the arrival of the Safe Task Force, comprised of 13 agencies, including the National Guard. (See Announcement)

➤ Moore County: A decades-old Jack Daniel’s program that provided free distillery byproduct to local farmers for cattle feed will end in March as the company shifts to a renewable energy partnership. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: The federal government is reportedly weighing bailout funds for Tennessee soybean farmers facing steep losses after halted exports to China and falling prices. (More)

➤ Nashville: Carlos Calderon, a STEM teacher at Aventura Community School, was surprised with a $1,000 award after being named one of Tennessee’s Early Educators of the Year. (See Video)

➤ Maury County: School leaders are debating whether to use a $500,000 surplus from a recent school construction project for athletics, as originally planned, or redirect it toward student instruction. (More)

➤ Statewide: A new campaign is seeking 1,000 pre-orders by Jan. 6 to produce specialty license plates honoring children affected by cancer, with proceeds supporting awareness efforts. (More)

➤ Country music singer Morgan Wallen’s foundation partnered with the Tennessee baseball team to host a free youth camp in Corryton this weekend. The foundation also donated $50,000 to support youth baseball at Gibbs Ruritan Park, where it previously funded major field upgrades. (More)

➤ Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will be on the sidelines during Vanderbilt’s matchup with Alabama this weekend. Manziel—a ‘Bama beater during his 2012 Heisman season—publicly praised quarterback Diego Pavia following the team’s upset win over the Tide last season. (More)

➤ Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant said that his primary goal for this season is to remain healthy and play every game of the regular season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: WNBA | MLB | NHL | Soccer

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➤ New estimates for Elon Musk’s Boring Company’s proposed 10-mile underground tunnel between downtown Nashville and the airport show a cost of at least $240 million. (More)

➤ A new report says 12.2 million visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024 spent over $2 billion locally—the highest impact of any U.S. national park that year. (More)

➤ Primark will open its second Tennessee store on Oct. 30 at CoolSprings Galleria in Franklin, offering affordable fashion and home goods. (More)

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➤ A newly unveiled 10-foot statue honoring Tina Turner in her Brownsville hometown has sparked backlash from fans, who criticized its likeness and called it a poor tribute to the late music icon. (See Statue)

➤ Nashville Public Library has launched a year-long initiative offering free music classes for all ages and skill levels—complete with loaned instruments and professional instruction. (More)

➤ Morgan Wallen made a surprise appearance in the live-action trailer for Battlefield 6, joining other celebrities in a tongue-in-cheek promo. (More)

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➤ Harvard scientists just uncovered shocking evidence: the same bacteria that eat holes in your teeth were found inside the brains of 97% of patients with total memory loss. If your gums are this unusual shade of red, you may be at serious risk of dementia. Could you be affected? Watch this short video now: If Your Gums Look Like This, You’re at Risk of Memory Loss.