Sunday, July 26, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1903, Estes Kefauver—the Tennessee Democrat who went on to serve in the U.S. House and Senate and run for vice president—was born on a farm near Madisonville.

After a Vietnam-era Army veteran passed away with no family to claim him, members of the Germantown community honored the veteran by attending his burial at the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. One attendee, U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Luis Santos said, “Being able to be that person to render that final respect for this man who signed a blank check for his life, for this country—it’s the highest honor of my military career.” Learn more in Et Cetera. Would you attend a service for an unclaimed veteran? Let us know in today’s Poll or reply to this email.

In case you missed it, this week on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla tackled the weather pattern that could rewrite the entire winter. Forecasters now put the odds at 81% that El Niño reaches "very strong" status by winter, potentially one of the largest on record, and every corner of the country will be affected. When a pattern this powerful takes over, it doesn't just tweak the forecast, it decides which states get soaked and which dry out. Ayla broke down the five ways forecasters say this El Niño will shape the months ahead. So which side of the split does your state land on? Tune in here!

Today's sponsor, BluSky AI, is sharing how it aims to address the growing demand for AI infrastructure by developing data centers designed to come online faster and support the computing power behind modern AI applications.

Consumers Protected from Data Center Costs

Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have signed the Trump administration's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, a voluntary federal initiative aimed at keeping data center energy costs off consumer utility bills.

The pledge asks AI and data center companies to supply or fund the energy their facilities need, rather than passing costs to households. Lee joins 23 Republican governors backing the measure that was first introduced in March.

TVA, the nation's largest public power provider serving roughly 10 million customers across seven states, expects data center demand to double by 2030.

The utility's board will review proposed rate changes for data centers in August before voting on implementation.

Vanderbilt Health Data Breach

Vanderbilt Health announced Friday it's notifying a limited number of patients about a data security incident that may have exposed patient information earlier this year.

According to officials with Vanderbilt Health, an unauthorized individual accessed an employee's email account on March 23 after the employee clicked a malicious link; the breach was discovered March 27.

Potentially exposed data includes names, medical record numbers, visit dates, and diagnosis or procedure details. Officials say no Social Security numbers or financial account information were involved.

Officials say there is no evidence of misuse. Vanderbilt is offering free credit monitoring, strengthening email security, and expanding employee cybersecurity training.

Outdoor Drinking Zone in Knoxville’s Market Square

Knoxville activated its first Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in Market Square on Friday, letting patrons 21 and older buy beer from participating businesses and then "sip and stroll" the square.

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said the city is emulating other successful models operating in other cities around the country. Drinks must be purchased from an approved DORA business, alcohol must be served in a clear plastic cup or approved can with an orange DORA sticker, and customers must remain inside the designated DORA boundaries. City leaders say the goal is to encourage visitors to spend more time downtown while supporting local restaurants, bars, and shops.

The zone operates 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with last call at 9:30 p.m. Only beer is currently allowed, though wine and liquor may follow.

City Council approved the pilot in May; a second zone around Covenant Health Park is planned.

Flying together with our sponsor

The $7.6 Trillion Flowing Into AI Is Not What You Think

Goldman Sachs is projecting $7.6 trillion in AI investment by 2031.

The common assumption is that all of the AI money flows to names like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. But that is not where the infrastructure dollars are going.

Every AI model, chatbot, and recommendation engine needs compute power to run. And compute power needs physical infrastructure. Data centers. Lots of them.

The problem: AI demand has increased 1 million times in the last two years, stated Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO. Meanwhile, traditional data centers take 3 to 7 years to build. The infrastructure cannot keep up.

BluSky AI has developed a premanufactured solution ready in months, not years. They have a robust portfolio of sites with negotiated power ready for deployment. BluSky AI utilizes less power, smaller footprints, little to no water, and minimizes the impact on communities.

For the first time, everyday investors can back BluSky AI as they build the backbone of AI.

➤ Statewide: Tennessee tenants and advocates are urging lawmakers to require landlords to provide air conditioning after prolonged outages at multiple apartment complexes highlighted gaps in state law during extreme summer heat. (More)

➤ Kingsport: The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office arrested Robert Lewis Wilson, 39, on Thursday afternoon after investigators said he threatened multiple churches. Wilson has been charged with threats of mass violence, assault, and harassment and was booked into the Sullivan County Jail on a $20,000 bond. (More)

➤ Nashville: The city’s tourism industry continues to drive economic growth, but business leaders said future success depends on addressing workforce needs, transportation, public safety, and quality-of-life challenges as visitation increases. (More)

➤ Chattanooga: Abandoned and sunken boats are increasing on Tennessee lakes and rivers, but advocates say no agency has clear responsibility for removing them. A new reporting database aims to help communities identify and prioritize cleanup efforts. (See Photos)

➤ Jackson: Law enforcement officers served court-authorized search warrants in Madison County as investigators expanded the investigation into the July 19 shooting at Savannah Williamson Park that killed three people and injured nine. (More)

➤ Hamilton County: Officials are seeking public input on planning for the new state park at McDonald Farm. Public feedback will help guide the park's design, amenities, and future development. (Watch Video)

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➤ Tennessee was picked to finish eighth in the SEC in the preseason media poll, while Vanderbilt was ranked 13th, placing only ahead of Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Arkansas. (More)

➤ Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is reportedly negotiating a contract buyout with the team. Caldwell-Pope plans to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers to join LeBron James once he is a free agent. (More)

➤ The Tennessee Titans have agreed to a deal with former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, who started six games for the team in 2024. Johnson is expected to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Golf

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Data Centers Built For Coexistence

Communities across the country are pushing back on data centers, and for good reason. Massive facilities are draining local water supplies, straining power grids, and disrupting neighborhoods, all while offering little in return.

BluSky AI took a different approach.

Their SkyMod prefabricated, AI-ready data centers use less power, require little to no water, and fit onto smaller footprints. This minimizes the impact on the communities they're built near, from Colorado to Texas. This is AI infrastructure designed to coexist, not compete, with the people around it.

BluSky AI's model is a unique solution to meet the high market demands that aren’t being met by the industry.. Become a BluSky AI shareholder as they open the door to everyday investors.

This is a paid advertisement for BluSky AI Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.bluskyaidatacenters.com/

➤ Community members attended the burial of an unclaimed Vietnam-era veteran in Germantown after officials found no next of kin. Organizers said the turnout ensured the veteran, Army Specialist Garth James Knutson Jr., received military honors. (More)

➤ Nashville Zoo researchers are using lightweight tracking technology to monitor purple martin chicks, helping scientists study migration routes, nesting behavior, and conservation needs after the birds leave Middle Tennessee. (More)

➤ Doctors in Memphis performed the region's first heart transplant using a donor heart transported in a specialized preservation system that keeps the organ beating, expanding transplant options for patients. (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, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Delivery giants are rushing to keep weight-loss drugs cold. (Hear More)

➤ Thousands celebrated the birthday of the internet's favorite little monkey. (Listen Now)

➤ A beloved honey farm teetered on collapse, but one beekeeper refused to quit. (Podcast Available)