Saturday, September 26, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1931, Korean War Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. Charles F. Pendleton was born in Camden. Pendleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic defense and ultimate sacrifice during the final days of the Korean War in July 1953.

Is it finally football weather? Forecasters are calling for a “beautiful fall weekend” just in time for today’s big Tennessee-Texas game at Neyland. Learn more in today’s Top Stories.

The age at which Americans can start collecting full Social Security checks could drop for millions of workers. A new bill in Congress would move retirement up years early for some, just as Social Security speeds toward insolvency, and not everyone thinks it's a good idea. So who would qualify, and who gets left out? Amy has the full story on today's episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

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Tennessee Celebrates 1st Dolly Parton Day

Tennessee cities, schools, and businesses marked the first Dolly Parton Day on Friday with pink lights, concerts, and charity drives after Gov. Bill Lee signed a statewide proclamation designating Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day.

Sevier County leaders signed a proclamation at the county courthouse, creating a unified, countywide annual holiday that permanently cements Parton’s cultural and philanthropic legacy in the community she called home. Meanwhile the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga hosted film screenings, literacy events, and a costume contest.

Nashville celebrated with landmarks lit up in pink and more than 30 honky-tonks and venues playing 9 to 5 at 5 p.m. and fireworks over downtown at 9:25 p.m. Restaurants and museums spent the day raising money for her Imagination Library.

Businesses and nonprofits emphasized giving, launching a campaign for 20 Middle Tennessee nonprofits, and urging Imagination Library donations.

Crowd Surge Cancels UT Knoxville Concert

A free pop-up Chainsmokers concert at the University of Tennessee's Fraternity Park was canceled Thursday night after nearly 10,000 people arrived, collapsing barriers and triggering a crowd surge.

Attendees described being pinned against fences and trampled. AMR responded but transported no one, and UT said campus police received no injury reports.

UT said event organizers, consulting with private security, decided to cancel, and law enforcement arrived afterward. The duo said local police and security directed the shutdown.

Band member Alex Pall promised fans the group would return to Knoxville. The Chainsmokers were also scheduled to play at Vanderbilt University on Friday.

Sunny, Mild Weather Greets First Fall Weekend

Tennessee expects sunny, dry, and comfortable conditions for the first weekend of fall, with afternoon highs in the mid-70s to low 80s across the state, forecasters said.

Middle Tennessee mornings will start in the 50s before warming to around 80, and the pleasant pattern should last into Monday. Highs could approach 90 by Wednesday.

In Knoxville, temperatures should hover near 70 at kickoff for today’s Tennessee-Texas football game, with afternoon highs in the mid-70s.

West Tennessee will return to normal low-80s highs, though a few Sunday showers are possible. Rain chances return statewide late next week.

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➤ Nashville: A 79-year-old driver died early Friday after losing control on Old Hickory Boulevard, striking a curb, a crosswalk signal, and a traffic light box before his car flipped near Seven Springs Way. He died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (More)

➤ Clarksville: Leaders of a proposed performing arts center asked the City Council on Thursday to hand over the Roxy Performing Arts Center and help pay for the project. Council members said the price may be too high. (More)

➤ Rutherford County: The school board voted to hang the Ten Commandments, the Constitution's preamble, and an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence in all 53 district schools. Private donations cover the $12,400 cost. (More)

➤ Jamestown: The owner of Mundy Funeral Home was arrested on a 52-count indictment including theft, insurance fraud, financial exploitation of elderly clients, and mishandling of cremated remains. Chadrick Mundy, 37, was booked into the Fentress County Jail on $80,000 bond. (More Details)

➤ Newport and Elizabethton: A bill from Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn, would end the federal ban on home distilling that has stood more than 150 years. Cast members of Discovery's Moonshiners and a local business back it. (Hear Reaction)

➤ Memphis: Kroger is asking shoppers to round up their grocery totals to the nearest dollar for Hunger Action Month, with every cent staying local through the Mid-South Food Bank. (See Details)

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➤ No. 14 Tennessee hosts No. 1 Texas at noon today on ABC. It’s the first time in 58 years that the Vols and Longhorns will face each other in football. President Trump is slated to become the first sitting U.S. president to attend a football game in Neyland Stadium. (More)

➤ Vanderbilt opens SEC play at Auburn today at 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Auburn opened as a 9.5-point favorite after losing 44-39 to Florida. (More)

➤ Middle Tennessee opens Conference USA play at Jacksonville State this evening at 6:02 p.m. CT on ESPN+. This will be the 26th meeting all-time between MTSU and Jacksonville State on the gridiron. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | MLB | NHL | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Chuck Norris spent years researching what he believed were hidden threats inside the body that contribute to “rapid aging.” He identified three “internal enemies” that may affect energy, digestion, muscles, and joints. Before his passing, Chuck recorded a short video explaining what he discovered and the approach he believed could help. Watch the video here >>

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➤ Knoxville Children's Theatre landed a $2 million gift from the Boyd Foundation, pushing its plan for a $10 million youth arts center in the heart of the city closer to reality. (See Gift)

➤ A new Neuro Feedback and Trauma Institute in Jackson opened with a public open house, hosted by the nonprofit Positive Living Group. The clinic serves West Tennesseans who are uninsured, underinsured, or facing financial hardship with access to mental and behavioral health care services. (See Clinic)

➤ Lee University ranked No. 37 among Best Regional Universities in the South in U.S. News & World Report's 2027 Best Colleges list, placing No. 19 among Top Private Schools. (More)

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➤ Most Americans think eating sweets for breakfast is unhealthy… But according to Stanford researchers, there's one delicious “dessert” food that Costa Ricans in the famous "blue zone" there eat each morning that… So, what's the #1 “dessert” food that helps Costa Ricans live healthy, lean, and energetic past 100?

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.

➤ Some American workers could start collecting full Social Security years early, but critics warn of fallout. (Hear Details)

➤ Coastal flood alerts cover 33 million people as a rare multiday nor'easter threatens the East Coast through the weekend. (Listen Now)

➤ The robotic spacecraft launched to save a failing NASA telescope has itself plunged back to Earth. (Podcast Available)