Thursday, July 23, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1792, Jefferson County selected a committee to locate a county seat. The town they eventually chose would become Dandridge, now one of the oldest in Tennessee.

Cracker Barrel is selling its Maple Street Biscuit Company brand less than a year after it reversed a widely mocked logo redesign because of customer backlash. Have you ever been to a Maple Street Biscuit, or did you just find out it existed?

Is the password you've been trusting for years already floating around in criminal databases? The Federal Trade Commission receives more than one million identity theft reports each year. Yet the strongest defense available isn't some pricey security service. It's a feature already built into your phone, one that most people have never turned on. In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla walks through seven simple moves that can lock down your accounts before a hacker gets there first. So which of the seven have you already made, and which one is leaving you exposed? Tune in here!

Seven investing lessons from high net worth investors could change the way you think about retirement. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Fisher Investments, with a free guide sharing each one.

Today's sponsor is Incogni, helping protect your privacy by removing your personal information from data broker databases before scammers can use it against you.

Anthropic Sued over Neural Network Patents

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation has sued AI company Anthropic, alleging the Claude chatbot-maker infringed two patents covering machine-learning technology inspired by neuroscience that university professors developed.

The Knoxville-based nonprofit, which licenses UT's intellectual property, said Anthropic's AI systems violate its patents on neuromorphic and neuroscience-inspired computing. Monetary damages and an order blocking further infringement are being sought.

The lawsuit is believed to be the first patent infringement case against Anthropic, coming just one day after a California federal judge approved a separate $1.5 billion settlement of a class action copyright lawsuit brought against the company by a group of authors.

Anthropic said it disagrees with the allegations and intends to defend the case vigorously.

Nashville Passes Data Center Moratorium

Nashville Metro Council approved two bills banning the largest data centers and creating buffer zones around schools, hospitals, and zoos, along with a moratorium on new data center construction through December.

The votes come as DC Blox has finalized its purchase of land next to the Nashville Zoo for a proposed data center after months of protests. It remains unclear whether the new zoning rules will apply to that project.

DC Blox's website now shows one building instead of two, with the company saying it is reevaluating the project's size and scope in response to community concerns.

Metro Council also approved on second reading the mayor's plan to acquire the land next to the zoo for public use, a proposal that now heads back to the Budget and Finance Committee and could stop the DC Blox project altogether if approved.

Vandy's San Francisco Campus Set for 2027

Vanderbilt University will open a San Francisco campus in 2027, made possible by a $75 million gift from the founder of NVIDIA, whose family's donation inspired additional philanthropic support, bringing the total investment to more than $100 million.

The flagship college will focus on art, architecture, and design, serving roughly 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students while building on the nearly 120-year legacy of the California College of the Arts.

The San Francisco campus is part of a broader national expansion for the Nashville university, which has already opened a campus in New York City and has another planned for West Palm Beach, along with the Institute for Quantum Innovation in Chattanooga.

A national search is already underway for the college's inaugural dean.

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➤ Memphis: Police and federal law enforcement responded to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on Tuesday after a threat was called in. Authorities determined the threat was a hoax after searching the campus. (More)

➤ Also Memphis: Memphis Light, Gas, and Water plans to install 125 megawatts of battery storage across nine substations to cut peak demand costs and keep electric rates from rising. (More)

➤ Clarksville: School board members say they have received death threats as angry parents packed Tuesday's meeting demanding accountability over a fatal bus crash and a teacher's arrest. (More)

➤ Grainger County: Doug McBee, a longtime local high school basketball coach and father of a former University of Tennessee player, died Monday after a tractor rollover accident on his farm. (More)

➤ Lebanon: The city council voted Tuesday to continue its $100,000 annual contribution to the Farm Bureau Exposition Center, ending a debate over redirecting the funds. (More)

➤ Sumner County: The school district has delayed its first day of school by a week after discovering a cybersecurity breach. The TBI, FBI, and Homeland Security are all investigating. (More)

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➤ Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea said the quarterback replacing Heisman finalist Diego Pavia won't be expected to match his production after Pavia led the Commodores in a historic 10-3 season. Lea hasn't named a starter between five-star freshman Jared Curtis and veteran Blaze Berlowitz. (More)

➤ Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer was named to the NBA All-Summer League First Team, while second-year forward Cedric Coward earned Second Team honors. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II hosted a back-to-school supply giveaway this week at the Bernal E. Smith Boys and Girls Club in Memphis. As the team’s longest-tenured player, he said he wants to set an example for younger teammates. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | MLS

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➤ Lebanon-based Cracker Barrel is selling its Maple Street Biscuit Company brand and closing 16 locations as it works to cut debt and refocus on its core restaurant business. (More)

➤ San Antonio Taco Company, a beloved 42-year-old Tex-Mex restaurant near Vanderbilt University, is being sold to a local investor group. The deal is expected to close on Aug. 3. (More)

➤ Tennessee-based Techmer PM is laying off 68 workers at an Illinois plastics facility it acquired last year, with the cuts scheduled for Sept. 30. (More)

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➤ Drum Corps International comes to Murfreesboro's Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium on Friday. Nashville's Music City Drum and Bugle Corps are among the top ensembles competing from across the country. (More)

➤ The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is hosting an 18-and-older costume event called Rivers and Realms on Aug. 21, featuring live music, an artisan faire, and two included drinks. (More)

➤ An 11U baseball team from Hong Kong made a nearly 8,000-mile trip to Pigeon Forge to compete at The Ripken Experience, a sign of East Tennessee's growing international sports tourism. (More)

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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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Stolen passwords fuel record identity theft, yet the strongest defense sits unused inside your phone. (Hear Details)

➤ Street protests and a rift inside Ukraine's leadership have forced a sweeping shakeup of the country's military command. (Hear Episode)

➤ One winning bid at a sight unseen foreclosure auction turned grim when the new owner found dead bodies inside. (Listen Now)