Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1974, basketball great Tony Delk was born in Covington. He led the Kentucky Wildcats to victory in the 1996 NCAA Championship Game, played over a decade in the NBA, and served as an assistant coach for the New Mexico State Aggies. Happy birthday, Tony!

Speaking of basketball, Vanderbilt University defeated No. 9 Kentucky in a surprise victory over the weekend, but fans storming the court led to a $500,000 fine from the SEC. Read more in today's Sports section.

Tennessee is known for its bears, but have you ever seen a bear in the wild? Let us know in today's trivia question, or share the story of your encounter by replying to this e-mail.

Did you know that the team that makes The Tennessee Flyover also produces a national publication called The Flyover? Click here to subscribe and stay up to date with the latest national headlines—without the bias of legacy media outlets.

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911 Calls Released from Antioch School Shooting

Metro Nashville Police released 911 calls Monday from last week's deadly shooting at Antioch High School, where 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante was killed when another student opened fire in the cafeteria on Jan. 22.

One caller, speaking through tears, told 911 dispatchers that her younger sister was inside the cafeteria when the shooting began, capturing the fear and devastation of those inside the school.

Another caller described the scene as it unfolded, saying, "It was inside the school, it was in lunch. Right now I'm outside. It's a lot of people running as well. I think someone was struck but I'm not sure. All I know is I heard gunshots and I just ran out running."

The school, which closed for the remainder of last week, will reopen today.

Trump Labels Foreign Gang in TN as Terror Group

One of President Donald Trump's executive orders included labeling the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), a group that has been operating in Tennessee, as a foreign terrorist organization.

Last fall, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed that TdA has a presence in Tennessee going back to at least 2023, and arrests have been made since.

One arrest involved Adelvis Rodriguez-Carmona, a confirmed member of TdA, who was taken into custody as part of a human trafficking bust in Chattanooga in November.

Just days earlier, ICE arrested another Venezuelan gang member, Luis Alejandro Ruiz-Godoy, in Memphis. He is currently being held in Louisiana while awaiting deportation.

Tennessee's 10 Most Relaxing Towns

A new list of the state's 10 most relaxing towns has been released, with Gatlinburg topping the list.

Lesser-known Dandridge also ranked near the top, highlighting the community's Great Smoky Mountain background and the cool breeze from Dandridge Lake.

Jonesborough, Savannah, and Pigeon Forge were also featured on the list, with the Island at Pigeon Forge standing out as a top attraction combined with getaway cabin rentals.

Townsend, with less than 1,000 residents, was noted as the quiet side of the Smokies. It offers local arts and scenic drives into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See the full list here.

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➤ Statewide: A state lawmaker has reintroduced a bill aimed at addressing the shortage of School Resource Officers by allowing veterans and retired law enforcement officers to be hired in public charter schools. (More)

➤ Antioch: A new weapon detection system was installed at Antioch High School before students returned to classes today following a recent shooting. (More)

➤ Belle Meade: A train wreck occurred in Belle Meade over the weekend as a freight train struck a truck that was hauling other cars, injuring one person. (See Picture)

➤ Claiborne County: A 66-acre wildfire on the south side of Powell Mountain is now under control after the massive blaze began late Sunday. (More)

➤ Chattanooga: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student Joshua Tyler has developed the world's first usable artificial intelligence (AI) network that can learn how to encrypt itself, allowing improved privacy of data. (Watch Video)

➤ Hixson: Firefighters rescued a driver after a tree fell on her car, leaving the person with injuries to her lower extremities. (See Picture)

➤ Vanderbilt University was fined $500,000 after students stormed the court following the Commodores' victory over No. 9 Kentucky on Saturday, marking the school's third such violation in the past year. (More)

➤ Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell has returned to coaching duties after giving birth to her first son just last week. (More)

➤ At least four former college football players from Tennessee will play in the Super Bowl, including former Memphis placekicker Jake Elliott, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and former Volunteers' offensive lineman Trey Smith, who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. (More)

➤ Yesterday's results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ The Tennessee Valley Authority has announced the contractors selected to assist with the initial planning and evaluation for the first small modular reactor at the Clinch River Nuclear site in Oak Ridge. (More)

➤ St. John Properties Inc., a Baltimore-based firm, has opened its first Nashville office at Gulch Crossing, with plans to develop over 1 million square feet of Class A commercial space annually. (More)

➤ A new list of the state's largest companies has been released, with FedEx in Memphis leading the list, followed by HCA Healthcare and Dollar General. (See List)

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➤ A group called the Soggy Bottom Kayak Club, consisting of senior women, is taking a paddling trip down the entire 652-mile Tennessee River. (Watch Video)

➤ The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga recently announced its College Days discount for college students, faculty, and staff to receive a 50% discount on Aquarium admission and tickets to 45-minute films at the aquarium's IMAX 3D Theater from Feb. 2-20, except for Saturdays. (See Details)

➤ A list of the most popular waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park was released this month. You can enjoy amazing pictures from some of the selections from the comfort of your own home. (See Pictures)

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