Saturday, August 22, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2018, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist and bassist Ed King died at his home in Nashville at the age of 68. King was credited with providing the Southern rock group its classic “three-guitar” sound.

Do you support the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency? See how one Sweetwater resident admired the agency's work in fishing, wildlife, and outdoor recreation so much that he left a generous gift to support the agency. Learn more in today's Top Stories.

Have you ever wondered what actually determines how long you'll live? Most people think it’s diet or exercise, but neither one cracks the top three. When researchers tracked tens of thousands of people for decades, the habits that mattered most weren't the ones anyone expected. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Amy counts down the 10 habits that actually predict longevity and reveals the number one predictor science keeps landing on. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, AutoCamp, is bringing boutique hotel comfort to the great outdoors, backed by major partnerships with Hilton and Airstream as it expands its footprint in the growing outdoor lodging market.

Hemp Ban Projected to Result in $110M Loss

Tennessee's ban on smokable cannabinoid hemp products, including THCA, took effect in July, and first-month sales tax figures put the state on pace for a $110 million shortfall.

State officials had projected $9.4 million in hemp collections for July but took in roughly $427,000, a decline exceeding 90%. Annual estimates had been about $130 million.

Industry groups estimated THCA accounted for 75% of the state's cannabinoid market. Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat, said the law eliminated a $250 million industry.

Behn and Sen. Heidi Campbell renewed a proposal to legalize and tax marijuana for road and bridge work. Tennessee closed the prior fiscal year with a $1.2 billion surplus.

Proposed ICE Center Shifts from Adams to Nashville

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has shifted the proposed location of a 24/7 call center from Adams to Nashville, according to a federal contract filing.

Federal spending records show the Department of Homeland Security awarded a $63 million contract to Alaska-based Koniag Services Inc., with performance listed in a Donelson-area ZIP code.

The facility would support ICE's 287(g) Program, which lets state and local law enforcement perform certain immigration officer functions. The site changed after Adams officials said they were unaware of the plan.

Nashville officials, including Metro Council members, said they were "blindsided," and Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office said plans remain unclear. Some Democrat lawmakers and immigrant advocacy groups voiced opposition.

Man Leaves Generous Gift for Wildlife Agency

A Sweetwater man who died of cancer left his entire estate, valued at more than $231,000, to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Kenneth Langston Brown died April 13, 2025, at age 72. He named TWRA the sole beneficiary of his will, and after probate the donation totaled $231,078.48.

Brown worked in the metal industry and later in stucco, and enjoyed the agency's quota hunts and sport fishing later in life. He had no family to inherit his estate.

Longtime friend Ricky McMahan said Brown admired the agency's work for fish, wildlife, and outdoor recreation in Tennessee and wanted to help it after his passing.

Flying together with our sponsor

Hilton Hotels Enter High-Growth World of Outdoor Lodging

Hilton Hotels didn't become a global hospitality giant by standing still. When they see a category worth backing, they move.

So it didn’t take long for them to form a first-of-its-kind partnership with AutoCamp.

AutoCamp brings boutique hotel comfort to the great outdoors, transforming $732B in markets. As the first outdoor lodging brand ever bookable on Hilton.com, AutoCamp’s 700+ rooms are in front of 200M+ Hilton Honors members who can earn and redeem points on every stay.

In fact, direct AutoCamp bookings on the Hilton channel are up 30% year-over-year.

It’s not just Hilton Hotels partnering with Autocamp, either. Iconic American travel brand Airstream also formed an exclusive partnership. In total, AutoCamp’s model has earned more than $150M in location revenue since inception.

For investors, it's a signal: some of the travel industry’s largest players are backing AutoCamp in the outdoor lodging race. Become an AutoCamp shareholder before they expand to 10,000+ rooms.

➤ Harrogate: Lincoln Memorial University held its Women of Service Fashion Show Thursday to raise funds for student scholarships, food pantries, a clothing closet, and other campus initiatives. (Watch Report)

➤ Memphis: Southwest Tennessee Community College launched a workforce program linking classroom learning with job pathways, while partnering with the City of Memphis and adopting a five-year workforce development plan. (See Details)

➤ Chattanooga: Developers broke ground on Station 33, a 500,000-square-foot mixed-use project on Broad Street featuring residences, offices, retail, restaurants, and a 120-room hotel. (See Photos)

➤ Gatlinburg: Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close Abrams Falls Trail Monday-Thursday each week for construction beginning Aug. 24. Crews will replace four “aging” footlog bridges and handrails to improve visitor safety. The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 1. (More)

➤ Oak Ridge: Crews at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are demolishing aging facilities, that were once used for nuclear research, to clear land for future work, while removing contaminated structures and reducing risks across the campus. (Watch Report)

➤ Blountville: Sullivan County commissioners voted not to renew a Flock Safety contract, ending the county’s use of license plate-reading cameras after concerns about cost and privacy. (More)

Enjoy reading The Tennessee Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ Tennessee unveiled its "Neyland Legacy" Smokey Grey football uniforms this week, honoring 100 years since General Robert Neyland's first season as head coach. The design features a leather-style helmet and 1948 stadium blueprint details on the shoulders. (More)

➤ The Nashville Predators traded forward Sutter Muzzatti to the Red Wings for future considerations Thursday. Detroit immediately signed the 6-foot-6 former Notre Dame winger, a Michigan native, to a two-year rookie deal. (More)

➤ Tennessee men's basketball finished third in CBS Sports' Candid Coaches preseason survey, with coaches calling it Rick Barnes' best roster since arriving in Knoxville. The Vols spent more than $15 million in the portal this offseason. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Life Insurance Without the Hassle. Getting covered shouldn't take weeks or a medical exam. Ethos makes it simple to get a life insurance policy in as little as 10 minutes, all online, with no needles and no waiting rooms (just answer few health questions online). Affordable Term Life coverage up to $3M. Click here to get your instant quote and help protect your family's future today.

Flying together with our sponsor

How Solving Camping’s Biggest Problem Earned $150M+

Most people love the idea of being outdoors. Almost nobody loves what it takes to get there.

Campsites book months in advance. Gear’s expensive and collects dust. RV ownership’s a financial and logistical burden. Hotels are comfortable, but lose the very thing people were chasing in the first place.

AutoCamp solves all that. Guests arrive with a suitcase, check in like a hotel, and wake up at an iconic outdoor destination like Yosemite or Joshua Tree. But instead of hard ground and outhouses, they have a boutique room or custom-designed Airstream trailer with a spa-inspired bathroom.

And travelers can’t get enough, with 1M+ happy campers so far. That’s earned $150M+ in location revenue for property owners operating with the Company’s Brands since inception.

Now you can invest as AutoCamp works to scale from 9 locations to 100+.

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

➤ Vanderbilt Health implanted a new FDA-approved heart valve device in a Brentwood woman, offering a treatment option for high-risk patients who previously faced limited choices. Fifteen patients are now waiting for the procedure. (More)

➤ Tennessee Aquarium welcomed two baby gentoo penguins, adding to a recent surge in births and expanding the Chattanooga attraction’s population of the species. (See Penguins)

➤ Nashville will honor entertainer Ray Stevens with a tribute concert featuring country and comedy performers, celebrating his more than six-decade career and contributions to music and entertainment on Nov. 9 at the Grand Ole Opry House. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Swollen Feet and Ankles? There May Be Another Approach. Tight rings and swollen ankles are often blamed on salt, standing, or aging. But researchers are exploring how a specific type of Antarctic omega-3 may help support the body’s natural response to age-related swelling. Discover why adults over 50 are taking a closer look at this unique omega-3. Learn More >>

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ How long will you live? Decades of research say your daily habits already know. (Hear Details)

➤ The Pentagon and independent trackers are telling two very different stories about oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz. (Listen Now)

➤ Eight people were aboard a charter plane headed for a remote Alaska military radar site when it crashed. (Podcast Available)