Thursday, January 30, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 2013, an outbreak of 24 tornados across Middle Tennessee made it the largest January tornado storm in the state’s history.

In other news, five Tennessee locations were named to this year’s nationwide Top 100 Romantic Restaurants, just in time to make plans with Valentine’s Day around the corner.

We want to thank all the readers who contributed to our tip jar on Tuesday. It helps The Tennessee Flyover keep producing free, unbiased news. If you missed it, there's another opportunity to contribute below. We appreciate it!

Today’s sponsor is Weight Loss by Hims. Check out their products below.

Over 250 TN Immigrants Taken into Custody

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have detained between 250 and 500 people in the Greater Memphis area following President Trump’s inauguration, according to a local attorney.

The arrests are part of a nationwide immigration crackdown that has led to over 4,500 detentions within a week, with the administration setting a quota of at least 1,800 arrests per day.

Knox County has also seen an influx of immigrant arrests, with 30 ICE suspects and 17 immigration holds on Tuesday.

State legislators are currently discussing immigration bills during a special session to address changes that have begun since the start of the Trump administration.

Trump Supports Lee’s Voucher Bill

President Donald Trump expressed his support of Gov. Bill Lee’s school voucher bill in a social media post on Tuesday.

“Congratulations to Tennessee Legislators who are working hard to pass School Choice this week, which I totally support. We will very soon be sending Education BACK TO THE STATES, where it belongs,” Trump posted on his Truth Social profile.

House Bill 1 proposes allowing Tennessee parents to use taxpayer funds to pay for their children’s private school tuition. The bill is a revamped version of a universal school voucher plan that failed to pass last year. Read the full bill here.

Democrats expressed strong opposition to Lee's proposed school voucher bill, arguing that it would divert essential funds from public schools to private institutions.

Special Olympics in Gatlinburg

The 2025 Special Olympics State Winter Games were hosted at the Gatlinburg Convention Center on Jan. 26-28.

The event included competitions in skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, and 3v3 basketball, with over 300 athletes participating.

The event included an Opening Ceremony, a victory celebration, and group dinners. A video highlighting the event is available here.

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➤ Clarksville: The Kenwood High School Unified Bowling team won the 2025 TSSAA State Unified Bowling Championship, marking the school’s first state bowling title. (More)

➤ West Tennessee: Multiple school systems in the area, including Henderson, Lexington, and Hardin counties, announced school closures on Wednesday due to an increased number of respiratory-type illnesses. (More)

➤ Memphis: Police say a man ran to a neighbor’s home for help after his brother wielded a samurai sword at him during a fight. The man was arrested. (More)

➤ Smyrna: A local high school celebrated the opening of a new $30 million expansion with 39 classrooms that increased the capacity of the location to 2,500 students. (More)

➤ East Tennessee: Rep. Chuck Fleischmann was selected to serve a second consecutive term as chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations in Washington. (More)

➤ Chattanooga: The city’s historic carousel in Coolidge Park has temporarily closed for inspection and minor updates but is expected to reopen on Feb. 1. (More)

➤ Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time, averaging 25.8 points per game in four games. (More)

➤ The St. Croix Bassmaster Opens 2025 announced it’s coming to Kentucky Lake in Paris for a Division 2 battle on March 6-8. (More)

➤ Rookies Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies have been selected for the NBA Rising Stars game that will be played during the NBA All-Star weekend next month. (More)

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

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➤ Nashville Premium Outlets, a new luxury shopping center from Simon, is coming soon to Williamson County at the intersection of Interstate 65 and I-840. (More)

➤ The construction of the $114 million Smokies Stadium is nearing completion ahead of its inaugural game on April 15, which will also serve as the home of the One Knoxville SC professional soccer team. (More)

➤ Midtown Central BBQ reopened in Memphis after over two years of renovation, restoring the longtime barbecue location for area fans. (More)

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➤ The Harlem Globetrotters bring their basketball magic to Nashville on Feb. 1 at Bridgestone Arena as part of their 2025 World Tour, offering two games to entertain fans. (More)

➤ Five Tennessee restaurants, including four in the Memphis area and the Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro in Townsend, made the Open Table 2025 list of America’s Top 100 Romantic Restaurants. (See List)

➤ The parents of a Tellico Plains High School senior track star, who died in a car crash, are leading an effort to keep her name alive, raising funds to build a track in her honor. (Watch Video)

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