Thursday, July 10, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1852, Blountville merchant Joseph Anderson contracted for 100 acres across Tennessee and Virginia—the first step in establishing the city of Bristol.

Are you an organ donor and want the world to know it? New "Donate Life Tennessee" license plates are now available for preorder. Proceeds will contribute to the state's donor registry—see them in the story below.

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Don't feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

Tennessee Rescue Team Heads to Texas

A Tennessee search team has deployed to Kerr County, Texas, to help with recovery efforts after devastating floods swept through the region.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Memphis Fire Department, deployed a canine search team to aid Texas flood recovery under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The CST-HRD team of expert handlers and search dogs will assist in human remains detection over the next two weeks.

The first responders hope to aid overwhelmed local crews still searching for missing flood victims.

Federal Fast-Track Clears Tennessee Coal Mine

The Trump administration has approved a new coal mine in Claiborne County under an expedited permitting process that speeds up energy projects.

Hurricane Creek Mining LLC has been approved to extract up to 1.8 million tons of coal over the next 10 years from Bryson Mountain, previously mined between the 1950s and 2010. The project supports President Trump's energy dominance agenda aimed at revitalizing the coal industry.

The approval process, now trimmed to just 28 days, has drawn national attention as debates over coal's future continue.

Photos: Rare White Catfish Turning Heads

Anglers are catching rare piebald catfish—blue catfish with striking white patches—in growing numbers along the Tennessee River near Chattanooga.

Piebald coloration, also known as leucism, is a rare condition in which fish exhibit white patches or full-body whiteness due to a lack of skin pigmentation. Once unheard of locally, sightings have increased since the first documented catch in 2019.

Guides say the surge in the "Holy Grail" catfish is likely tied to catch-and-release practices, allowing the genetic trait to spread. Check out the unique fish here.

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➤ Statewide: Tennessee students improved across all subjects in the latest Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, with reading proficiency rising more than five points. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: Tennessee drivers can now pre-order a "Donate Life Tennessee" license plate that raises awareness for organ donation and helps fund the state's donor registry. (See License Plate)

➤ Kingsport: Homelessness in Northeast Tennessee has jumped 37% this year, with Kingsport seeing a 29% rise, as officials cite addiction, mental health, and limited shelter resources. (More)

➤ Knox County: The sheriff's office is pushing to have a federal lawsuit dismissed after agreeing to delete a mugshot of a Muslim woman taken without her hijab. She was arrested during a 2024 anti-Israel protest. (More)

➤ Williamson County: The County Heritage Foundation has restored a historic stone wall in the Hunterwood community, using hands-on preservation workshops to accomplish the task. (See Wall)

➤ Chattanooga: Residents raised safety concerns at a city council meeting over the temporary closure of a section of the Tennessee Riverwalk, saying it forces pedestrians onto high-traffic roads. (See Map)

➤ Tennessee State will be forced to pause its hockey program's debut for at least another year due to budget mismanagement that's resulted in a "severe financial crisis." (More)

➤ McCallie School topped On3's Way-Too-Early Tennessee high school football rankings, with Oakland and Baylor School rounding out the list's top three. You can see which schools made the top 25 at the following link. (More)

➤ The Memphis Grizzlies offered EuroLeague forward Tarik Biberovic an NBA contract this week, but he declined the opportunity. (More)

➤ Yesterday's results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA | Wimbledon

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➤ Hilton opened its first LivSmart Studios extended-stay hotel in Tullahoma, offering apartment-style suites with full kitchens. The hotel caters to long-term travelers, such as relocating families and workers on extended assignments. (See Tour)

➤ Rutherford County officials touted their third AAA bond rating—earned after years of property tax hikes up to 16%—which they credit to long-term conservative budgeting, strong reserves, and strategic borrowing. (More)

➤ Kayak and canoe rentals in Kingston Springs are facing their worst season ever, with heavy rains limiting operations to just over 20 days so far this year, business owners say. (More)

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➤ Middle Tennessee State University will launch two esports degree programs this fall—one focused on gaming content creation and the other on coaching—hoping to prepare undergraduates for the booming esports industry. (More)

➤ Montgomery County officials received a $300,000 anonymous donation for its new and nearly completed animal care and control shelter, with funds restricted for exclusive use by the facility. (More)

➤ The Southern Festival of Books returns to Nashville Oct. 18–19, saved from cancellation by Vanderbilt University, which stepped in as presenting sponsor after the event lost its funding. (More)

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