Sunday, October 18, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1779, Sullivan County was created from Washington County, making it the second-oldest county in what is now Tennessee.

A stretch of Third Avenue South in Nashville was renamed Johnny Cash Way in honor of one of Tennessee’s most celebrated and influential artists. Learn more in Around Tennessee.

In case you missed it on The Flyover Podcast, Amy unpacked the IRS notices landing in millions of mailboxes about a new program that deposits up to $1,000 a year in federal matching money directly into retirement accounts, rather than just trimming your tax bill. But there’s a catch. Plenty of savers will get the full amount while others won’t see a dime, and the difference comes down to a few details on your tax return. Amy covered who qualifies, what disqualifies you, and how to actually claim the money. Tune in here!

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Hegseth Visits Knoxville

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited Knoxville Saturday to swear in new military recruits and take in Tennessee’s rivalry game against Alabama.

The visit was part of his Send Me Tour, a recruiting and outreach push that takes Hegseth to military units, ROTC programs, and veterans centers nationwide. He addressed UT cadets Saturday morning before administering the oath of enlistment.

UT’s ROTC program is the country’s second-oldest and, with 240 cadets, the largest outside the senior military colleges and service academies. The trip came weeks after President Trump attended the Tennessee-Texas game at Neyland Stadium.

Two Navy FA-18 Super Hornets from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia roared over the stadium during the national anthem. Then the Vols and Crimson Tide met for the 109th time in front of a sellout crowd of 101,915.

Memphis Task Force Marks First Year

Overall crime in Memphis is down 34% from a year ago, Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday at a roundtable marking the Memphis Safe Task Force’s first year.

“Overall crime is at a 25-year low,” said Blanche. Murders are down 33%, task force leaders said, and officers have arrested about 1,500 gang members and recovered 196 missing children. A Regional One doctor said hospitals saw a 30% drop in gunshot trauma cases.

Memphis homicides were already falling before the surge, dropping from 399 in 2023 to 301 in 2024. An analysis of arrests from the operation’s first four months found most involved nonviolent offenses.

Blanche gave no end date, saying, “We have invested in this city and we’re not cashing out our investment.” Agents rotate in on two- to three-week assignments, and he said officials want to “normalize” the effort rather than run a constant surge.

Banana Bowl Coming to New Nissan Stadium

Nashville’s new Nissan Stadium will host the 2027 Banana Bowl, the championship game of the Banana Ball Championship League.

Two Banana Ball teams will play for the league title. Fans can join the Banana Ball Ticket Lottery List now, with more presale chances to be announced later.

The sport already has a Nashville following: the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals drew a sellout crowd of about 70,000 to the current stadium in May 2025, making it the second NFL venue to host a Bananas game. “We are so excited to welcome Banana Ball back to Nissan Stadium,” said Chelsea Lipocky, the Titans’ head of stadium revenue.

Crews are on track to finish the enclosed stadium in February, and the Banana Bowl is among the first major events on its calendar.

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➤ Memphis: A local nonprofit is hosting free AI workshops for adults 50 and older through November, teaching them to write prompts and spot AI scams. Classes meet at UT Health Science Center, with a virtual option. (See Details)

➤ Johnson City: The Tri-Cities’ first Culver’s restaurant moved a step closer Thursday night when the City Commission gave initial approval to transferring the property behind the West State of Franklin Road Publix. (More)

➤ Murfreesboro: Firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to find a man trapped on the second floor of a smoke-filled home on Kinsale Avenue Thursday night. Crews also saved a cat and a dog. (Watch Video)

➤ Millington: The Department of Veterans Affairs cut the ribbon Friday on a new nearly 34,000-square-foot VA clinic offering primary care, mental health, audiology, pharmacy, and lab services. Cardiology, endocrinology, rheumatology, and X-rays will follow, sparing veterans trips to the main Memphis campus. (See Clinic)

➤ Nashville: A stretch of Third Avenue South downtown now bears Johnny Cash’s name, honoring the Man in Black just steps from the museum dedicated to him. (See Details)

➤ Birchwood: A gas heater flared up and ignited a couch Friday evening, sparking a fire that destroyed a home on Sam Smith Road. Two adults and an infant escaped unhurt, and the Red Cross is helping the family. (More)

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➤ No. 14 Tennessee handed No. 6 Alabama its first back-to-back regular-season losses since 2007, winning 26-10 in Knoxville behind DeSean Bishop's 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Vols' defense held the Crimson Tide to 201 yards and forced four turnovers. (More)

➤ Vanderbilt hosted Arkansas last night in a matchup between struggling SEC teams. Vanderbilt entered the game on a three-game losing streak, while the Razorbacks came to Nashville off back-to-back losses. (See Score)

➤ The Tennessee Titans look to earn their first win of the season today against the division rival Indianapolis Colts. Ahead of the game, Titans CEO Burke Nihill apologized to fans for the team’s lack of success in recent years. (More)

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➤ Swifty Pig BBQ in Sulphur Springs was honored with the Tri-Cities Best Brisket award. Owner David Ford started the restaurant with his family after returning home from a long career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Watch Report)

➤ Cherry Farms in Huron celebrated 100 years of family farming over the weekend with its second annual Plow Days—an event celebrating farm life and bringing the community together in Henderson County. (More)

➤ The 43rd annual Noon on the Square live music series continues in downtown Paris this month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with free Friday concerts on the courthouse square and proceeds from lunch sales benefitting local nonprofits. Wrapping up the series for this year is The Ray Lewis Band playing Oct. 23. (More)

➤ Nashville’s Iroquois Steeplechase course has hosted thundering horses at Percy Warner Park for 85 years. Now the people entrusted with the tradition are racing to preserve it. (See Details)

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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.

➤ A grandfather built a $2 million business by giving families a reason to get lost in a cornfield. (Hear More)

➤ The NBA has built an AI detective to sniff out suspicious bets. (Listen Now)

➤ Three studies suggest that the cold shoulder sometimes conceals a guilty conscience. (Podcast Available)