Monday, May 18, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1833, Sampson W. Keeble, who went on to become the first black Tennessean to serve in the state legislature, was born in Rutherford County.

If you plan to go boating, especially over Memorial Day weekend, TVA is urging you to use extra caution as drought conditions drive dangerously low water levels. See details in the story below.

Today’s sponsor, Fisher Investments, is helping you plan your ideal retirement with a free guide designed to align your goals, timeline, and investment strategy for lasting financial confidence.

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.

740K TN Voters Risk Purge

More than 740,000 Tennessee voters are currently listed as inactive and could eventually be removed from the voter rolls if they do not take action before the upcoming elections.

State law moves voters to inactive status after four years without voting, and they can be purged after two additional federal election cycles with no activity.

A coalition of nonprofits, churches, and lawmakers launched the ActivateTN campaign to warn voters ahead of the August elections. Shelby County alone has about 140,000 inactive voters.

The Tennessee Secretary of State's Office said voters are marked inactive only after there is evidence they may have moved or stopped participating, and notices are mailed before removal.

TN Declares Title IX Win

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti declared victory after a legal challenge over Biden-era Title IX rules officially came to an end.

The rules would have expanded protections based on gender identity, including requirements involving school bathrooms, locker rooms, and pronoun usage.

A federal judge in Kentucky blocked the regulations in 2024 and later struck them down nationwide, ruling they were unlawful and unconstitutional. Interest groups that tried to revive the case have now dropped their appeal, and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals formally closed the matter.

Skrmetti called the outcome a “legacy win” for women and girls, saying the Biden administration tried to rewrite Title IX without congressional approval.

New State Park Tops Cave System

Tennessee has officially opened its 64th state park, preserving 534 acres above Cumberland Caverns, one of the nation’s largest cave systems.

State officials say that Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park in Warren County protects thousands of years of history, including Native American settlements and a 15-foot earthen monument believed to be about 1,000 years old.

The park also preserves the history of the Cardwell family homestead, dating back to the 1820s.

Visitors can’t access the property yet because construction is still underway, but plans call for hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and an educational center focused on the region’s archaeology and geology.

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Is Your Retirement Plan Built to Last?

Planning for retirement means preparing for the unexpected: increased cash flow needs, heightened health care costs, or a longer life than you might think. One key risk many retirees face is underestimating how long their savings need to last. Another is inflation, which can quietly reduce your purchasing power over time.

The 15-Minute Retirement Plan can help you navigate these challenges. With this guide, you can learn ways to account for a longer time horizon and manage the effects of inflation. If you have $1,000,000 or more saved, download your free guide to start building a more resilient financial future.

➤ Nashville: Police are searching for two suspects accused of breaking into First Horizon Park overnight and stealing several baseball gloves from the Nashville Sounds clubhouse. (More)

➤ Also Nashville: A woman says her 4.5-foot-long pet lizard named Paco, an Asian water monitor with a neurological condition that gives him a wobble, is safe after briefly going missing. (See Paco)

➤ Chattanooga: TVA warned Memorial Day boaters to use extra caution on Chickamauga Lake, where severe drought conditions have dropped water levels to their lowest point in four decades. (More)

➤ Memphis: The Memphis International Airport hosted its second annual “Flying Together” event on Saturday, helping families with special needs practice air travel in a supportive environment ahead of future trips. (More)

➤ Great Smoky Mountains: A newly acquired 600-acre tract will join Great Smoky Mountains National Park, marking one of the park’s largest expansions. (More)

➤ Knoxville: Country star Luke Combs donated $100,000 to a Tennessee nonprofit serving children with disabilities, combining fan-raised money with his own matching gift. (More)

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➤ No. 7 Tennessee softball took down UVA 5-1 yesterday to win the Knoxville Regional and advance to a Super Regional pool that will feature No. 10-ranked Georgia. (More)

➤ Tennessee Titans 2026 first-round pick Carnell Tate gave fans a look at him in an NFL jersey at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event over the weekend. (See Photos)

➤ Belmont softball's season came to an end on Saturday after falling 10-1 to USC Upstate in an elimination game at the Tuscaloosa Regional. (More)

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➤ Knoxville will launch an outdoor drinking district in Market Square this summer, allowing visitors to carry alcoholic drinks between approved downtown businesses within a designated zone. (More)

➤ Gallatin officials are considering a possible moratorium on new residential construction as some city leaders warn that rapid growth is straining infrastructure. (More)

➤ Blue Crab Bites is serving fresh crab rolls, crab dip, and other coastal favorites across East Tennessee, bringing Delaware-style seafood flavors to the mountains through its new food truck. (More)

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The 15-Minute Retirement Plan

A comfortable retirement requires a plan that accounts for all your cash flow needs, as well as inflation's quiet erosion of your savings. Our guide offers insights to help you prepare. If you have $1 million or more, get your guide to help build a portfolio that lasts.

➤ Tennessee Titans rookies spent part of their offseason volunteering at Nashville's Second Harvest Food Bank, packing more than 2,000 meals for children as community outreach. (More)

➤ Nashville’s Belmont Mansion received a state preservation award after restoring its historic billiards room, now one of the only publicly accessible 19th-century billiards rooms in the South. (More)

➤ The University of Tennessee celebrated its largest graduating class ever this spring, with about 9,000 students earning degrees. (More)

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