Sunday, May 10, 2026

Happy Mother's Day! On this day in 1941, Nashville's Iroquois Steeplechase held its inaugural race at Percy Warner Park, launching a beloved tradition now celebrating its 85th year.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and some Tennessee moms are uniting to improve mental health. Learn more in Et Cetera.

In case you missed it, this week on The Flyover Podcast, host Ayla Brown shared new concerns about what heavy AI use may be doing to our brains. Researchers are warning about a trend they call “cognitive surrender,” but is AI really making us worse thinkers? More importantly, how can we avoid falling into the trap ourselves? Listen here.

Today's sponsor is American Veterans Center. They're reminding us that Memorial Day is a time to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by those who served our country. This year carries even more significance as America approaches its 250th birthday. The American Veterans Center is leading one of the most meaningful ways to honor that legacy.

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.

Hospital Sued More Than 2,000 Patients

Cookeville Regional Medical Center, a not-for-profit hospital, has sued more than 2,000 patients for unpaid medical debt since 2021.

Court records show the hospital sued 2,041 people between 2021 and early 2026. The numbers have grown each year. The hospital sued 232 people in 2023, 523 in 2024, and 545 in 2025. It is the second such Middle Tennessee hospital to do so.

Patients who receive emergency care at the facility risk lawsuits and wage garnishment if they cannot pay their bills. One patient, Shannon Langley, who has a seizure disorder and has been treated multiple times at the hospital, was sued twice and is now having her wages garnished to cover more than $9,000 in debt.

The hospital says it pursues legal action as a last resort after 180 days of repeated outreach, noting it provides more than $30 million in annual charity care, payment plans, and financial assistance.

This comes after last month’s announcement that Williamson County Medical Center, another not-for-profit hospital, has sued more than 3,000 Middle Tennessee patients over unpaid medical bills in the past five years, garnishing wages in many cases.

School Choice Expands to 35,000 Students

Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation on Thursday expanding Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship Program to 35,000 students for the 2026-27 school year—up from 20,000 in its inaugural year.

The state-funded scholarships, worth more than $7,500 each, cover private school tuition and fees for eligible K-12 students. More than 56,000 families applied for the expanded program, and all 35,000 seats are already reserved—leaving more than 17,000 applicants on a waitlist.

About 81% of new scholarships went to lower-income families meeting income eligibility requirements, with awards spanning 93 of Tennessee's 95 counties. Critics of the expansion have raised concerns about public school funding, while supporters pointed to a 99% renewal rate from the program's first year as evidence of strong demand.

Agrihood Community Planned in Burns

A neighborhood built around a working farm could take root in the community of Burns, located about 30 miles west of Nashville.

The project, Burns Village & Farm, envisions 36 privately owned homes on 17 acres of protected land, including 3 acres of professionally managed organic farmland—with homes starting at $360,000 and each carrying an ownership stake in the farm. The community is currently recruiting founding members who will shape home designs and earn first choice of homesites before the layout is locked.

Known as an agrihood, the concept places active food production at the center of residential life—a model gaining traction as Tennessee has lost 1.5 million acres of farmland to development. Burns Village & Farm would be the state’s first such cohousing community, situated on land one Dickson County family has farmed for three generations.

This year’s National Memorial Day Parade, hosted by Honorary Grand Marshal Gary Sinise, is set to be the largest in its history. It stands as a powerful tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms.

What makes this event even more meaningful is how it is funded. The American Veterans Center receives no federal funding for the parade. It is made possible entirely by private citizens who believe in honoring those who served.

Your support helps bring this national moment of remembrance to life while also funding year-round efforts to preserve veterans’ stories, educate future generations, and produce documentaries that highlight the true cost of freedom.

If honoring our veterans matters to you, this is a meaningful way to take part.

➤ Knoxville: Covenant Health and United Healthcare struck a deal Friday, ending a dispute that had threatened in-network coverage for thousands of patients across Covenant's nine East Tennessee hospitals. (More)

➤ Statewide: A bill adding internet safety rules for students—including safeguards for minors and limits on classroom technology use—is headed to Gov. Bill Lee's desk after clearing the legislature. (More)

➤ Jackson: Education leaders and community members gathered at a Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast to recognize achievements by Jackson-Madison County Schools students, teachers, and staff. (More)

➤ Chattanooga: Chattanooga Pizza Week returns May 11-17 with $14 featured pizzas and $7 lunch specials at participating independent restaurants across the city. (More)

➤ Murfreesboro: Police arrested Jaylen Walston and Jayden Surine on first-degree murder charges for the 2022 killing of Micah Robinson, closing a cold case after more than three years. (More)

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➤ The Memphis Grizzlies hold 9% odds at the No. 1 overall pick in tonight's NBA Draft Lottery, giving them the sixth-best shot among all teams at the top selection. (More)

➤ Tennessee baseball pitcher Tegan Kuhns racked up 15 strikeouts in a 5-1 win on Friday over No. 4 Texas, the most strikeouts by any Vols pitcher since 2005. (More)

➤ Vanderbilt baseball’s Friday series opener against Missouri was suspended due to intense fog—but not before the limited visibility caused a potential Vanderbilt home run to come off the board. (Watch Video)

➤ Tennessee Titans 2026 No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate signed his rookie contract on Friday, worth $51 million over four years, officially making him a member of the team. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Beyond the parade, your contribution supports programs that record oral histories from veterans across generations, host conferences connecting young cadets with firsthand accounts of service, and produce television specials that keep these stories alive.

As we approach America’s 250th birthday, there is a unique opportunity to ensure these sacrifices are never forgotten.

Consider making a gift today to support the National Memorial Day Parade and its mission.

➤ A group of Tennessee moms is banding together to improve mental health resources and awareness in communities across the state, just in time for Mother's Day. (More)

➤ Oliver Stinnett, 11, reeled in a rare albino blue catfish on the Tennessee River at Suttree Landing Park in South Knoxville while fishing with his dad—a catch the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency called extraordinarily rare. (See Catfish)

➤ A team of four Tennessee veterans will compete for the first time at the PGA HOPE Secretary's Cup tomorrow, May 11, alongside the PGA Championship in Philadelphia, led by PGA pro Lamar Mills. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Elon Musk’s latest venture is making headlines nationwide after reportedly receiving White House clearance and expanding across all 50 states. Some analysts believe this new currency initiative could surpass the impact of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI combined. Discover why investors are calling it one of the biggest opportunities of the decade — before the rollout gains even more momentum.