AGP Executive Report

NFL & Nashville: NFL owners just voted to bring Super Bowl LXIV to Nashville in 2030, with the new Nissan Stadium set to open in 2027—an event expected to build on the city’s 2019 NFL Draft momentum. International Football: In the same Orlando meetings, owners approved up to 10 international regular-season games beyond 2026, keeping the league’s global push on track. AI Backlash in Schools: Graduation season is turning into an AI fight—students across campuses have booed speakers who tout AI, including moments at UCF and Middle Tennessee State. Civil Rights Meets College Sports: The NAACP launched “Out of Bounds,” urging Black athletes and fans to boycott major public college programs in eight Southern states tied to voting-rights complaints after the Louisiana redistricting ruling. Local Legal/County Watch: A settlement between Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Sheriff Floyd Bonner is in motion, but the county is now weighing whether it can afford part of the deal.

Tour News: The Smashing Pumpkins just announced “The Rats in a Cage Tour,” a 27-date North American run that will play Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in full, starting Sept. 30 in Columbus and stopping in major cities including Boston, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas—and Nashville on Oct. 22. Tech & Culture: Graduation season turned tense as students booed high-profile AI voices, including UCF’s speaker and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the University of Arizona, underscoring a growing generational backlash over AI’s job and future-work promises. Global Entertainment: Abu Dhabi is moving ahead with a $1.7 billion “Sphere” venue on Yas Island, aiming for immersive 360° experiences when it opens by late 2029. Local Watch: Hamilton County’s “Hamilton Counted” report shows overdoses and crime down, while food assistance demand stays high. Everyday Costs: AAA says Tennessee diesel prices fell about 20 cents per gallon in a month, even as drivers say the relief isn’t sticking.

Ethics Watch: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s family road-trip reality project is drawing fresh scrutiny after a pitch deck showed “platinum” sponsorships sold for $1 million—while key backers, including Shell, Boeing, Toyota, and a major payments lobby, won’t say how much they paid. Campus Culture: Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt got booed at a University of Arizona graduation when he talked up AI, reflecting a growing campus backlash to the technology’s job impact. Tennessee Higher Ed: Tennessee Tech says SOAR sign-ups are up, with more than 2,000 incoming freshmen registered, and it’s adding on-campus overnight lodging for July sessions. Local Business Buzz: Knoxville’s Mia Piccola is turning “shakeratos” (canned coffee drinks) into a social-media craze. Health Policy: CMS finalized a rule for 2027 that could lower Medicare-related health care fees, with eligibility and fraud checks tightening. Politics: Kentucky voters head to the polls Tuesday in high-spend primaries tied to Trump’s endorsements.

Voting Rights Act Fallout: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson blasted the Supreme Court’s fast-tracked move that helps states wipe out majority-Black districts, warning it “spawned chaos” as GOP-led states rush new maps. Tennessee Politics: Tennessee’s redistricting fight is now in full motion, with candidate filings and the state’s qualified list released as lawmakers and voters brace for what the new districts could lock in. Local Courtroom: In Memphis, a man accused of setting a food truck on fire near St. Jude is set to appear in court Monday. Health & Tech: Ardent Health is bringing Fujifilm’s AI-enabled imaging platform to hospitals across six states, aiming to streamline how clinicians access patient scans. Community & Schools: Knox-area students and educators keep pushing—one UT project says most “trash” can be recovered, while Nashville’s co-teaching model for English learners adds coaching to make it work. Culture: The Smashing Pumpkins announce a 30th-anniversary “Rats in a Cage” tour hitting Nashville.

Water Crisis in Chattanooga: Neighbors on Raccoon Mountain say their wells have failed again and they’re now out of water, pushing for a $3.5 million city-backed solution after Chattanooga Council members questioned the price for just 12 homes and 100 acres. Housing & Support for Students: Ella’s House in East Nashville is expanding help for pregnant students and new moms, offering low-cost transitional housing, essentials, and counseling so they can finish school. Job Market Basics: A new explainer breaks down how unemployment insurance works in a “low-hire, low-fire” economy where fewer people are leaving jobs but many still can’t land new ones. Local Politics & Power: The Supreme Court’s refusal to revive Virginia’s redistricting map keeps the focus on how congressional lines could shape midterms, while Tennessee’s own redistricting fallout continues to spark lawsuits and fights over Black representation. Nashville Culture: Nate Bargatze says he wants to build a Disney World-style theme park in Nashville—Nateland—after outselling Beyoncé on ticket sales. Environment: TVA is ramping up eelgrass removal at Lake Guntersville with more harvesters and weekly herbicide treatments through fall.

Voting Rights Showdown: The U.S. Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais ruling is still rippling outward, with states scrambling to redraw maps and critics warning it “guts” protections for Black voters—while Kamala Harris calls it “back-dooring racism” and Alabama’s “All Roads Lead to the South” rally draws thousands to protest new district lines. Tennessee Politics: In Tennessee, Rep. Steve Cohen went on TV visibly emotional after dropping his reelection bid, saying the GOP redraw left Democrats with no realistic path to win. Local Governance: Cleveland, Tenn. opened Jim Sharp Park, a $1.6 million project built on a donated site with a pond, pavilion, and walking paths. Public Safety: Cordova, Tenn. investigators arrested two people and charged them with first-degree murder after a man was found shot dead. Business & Jobs: Starbucks is cutting about 300 U.S. support roles and closing some regional offices as it expands corporate tech work in Nashville and plans an India tech office.

Cordova Murder Case: Shelby County investigators say two people were arrested and charged with first-degree murder after 25-year-old Jessie Wilson was found shot to death inside a Cordova home on May 1; SCSO says search warrants later turned up multiple guns tied to the killing at another location, leading to charges against 21-year-old Alex Castro and a 17-year-old. Voting Rights Protests: In Selma, Alabama, faith and voting-rights groups staged “All Roads Lead to the South,” echoing Bloody Sunday as they push back against Republican-led redistricting efforts after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Virginia Democrats’ attempt to restore a voter-approved map. PGA Championship: Aaron Rai surged into the lead in third-round action, while Rory McIlroy also made a late push as the tournament tightened at the top. Local Planning: Nashville’s Jefferson Street Corridor Study is holding a community open house to shape parking, sidewalks, and future development for a historic Black corridor split by I-40. Sports Offseason: Jaguars coach Liam Coen says early offseason work is “seamless” as the team wraps Phase 2.

City Hall Tech Upgrade: Decatur Council heard a pitch for a $1M–$1.5M-a-year upgrade to police body cameras, plus adding drones—after the chief said current systems have “major issues,” including slow downloads and unsecured footage. Education & Access: Columbia State students brought home top honors at an inaugural Undergraduate Research and Creative Arts Symposium at MTSU, showing off research and art work. Federal Relief: FEMA funding finally arrived for storm repairs in Vermont, including major help for Montpelier facilities. Immigration Update: The U.S. lifted a hold on immigration applications for doctors, a potential lifeline amid ongoing shortages. Politics in Motion: Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen announced he’s retiring after redistricting split his Memphis district, as lawsuits and protests continue. National Courts: A Supreme Court voting-rights ruling is fueling new fights over Black representation.

Redistricting Fallout: U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen abruptly ended his reelection bid after Tennessee Republicans redrew his Memphis-area district, saying the new lines were “drawn to beat me” and that he’d only return if courts restore the old boundaries. Court & Voting Rights: The decision comes as the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act limits are reshaping how states can draw districts, with civil-rights groups warning Black representation could take a hit. Local Governance: Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto used his State of the County address to push back on “myths” about growth straining schools. Business & Jobs: Starbucks announced it’s cutting 300 corporate roles and closing underused U.S. offices, while also reviewing its structure abroad. Community & Safety: A Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission meeting is set for May 26, and a bank robbery in Springfield ended with a quick arrest.

Redistricting Court Showdown: Florida’s new congressional map heads to court Friday as voting-rights groups argue it violates the state ban on partisan gerrymandering—setting up a fresh test for GOP plans that could swing seats in November. Tennessee Map Fallout: A federal judge denied Tennessee Democrats’ bid for a temporary restraining order against the state’s new congressional districts, keeping the fight alive for the courts and the ballot. NBA Draft Buzz: At the 2026 NBA draft combine, Baylor guard Cameron Carr and Texas wing Dailyn Swain withdrew from Thursday’s scrimmages, reshuffling who looks strongest heading into pro days and team workouts. NFL Schedule Drop: The league released the full 2026 slate, kicking off Sept. 9 with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl rematch and adding a record nine international games. Local Justice: Austin agreed to pay $35 million to men wrongly accused in the 1991 yogurt shop murders, a case that helped send one defendant to death row. Business & Health: Ardent Health will roll out Fujifilm imaging software across its network, while the VA approved nearly $600 million in infrastructure upgrades for veterans’ facilities.

Courthouse shooting in Clarksville: A Tennessee man known as “Chud the Builder,” who posted racist videos, was charged with attempted murder after a shooting outside the Montgomery County Courthouse left two men wounded; police say the incident followed an altercation that escalated to gunfire, and the courthouse was closed afterward. NFL schedule buzz: The Eagles’ 2026 slate is set to drop May 14, but leaks already point to key dates, including a Thanksgiving game and matchups with the Titans and Steelers. Redistricting fight heats up: Tennessee remains at the center of a broader Southern map-redrawing push after the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act rollback, with lawmakers and voting-rights groups trading lawsuits and accusations of targeting Black voters. Tech in government: A new push argues states should treat IT spending as “spending smarter,” empowering CIOs to cut costs and protect critical services. Local business & health: Fisk University unveiled a major campus data center plan, while Tennessee courts are weighing whether non-lawyer firms should be allowed to own law practices.

Tennessee Voting Rights Fight: The NAACP and a coalition of pro-voting groups filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday challenging Tennessee’s new GOP congressional map that dismantles the state’s only majority-Black district in Memphis, arguing lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Black voters after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act. Capitol Fallout: House Speaker Cameron Sexton also removed Democratic lawmakers from committees after redistricting protests, escalating tensions at the Tennessee Capitol. Local Politics Pressure: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called a special session to redraw maps for the 2028 cycle, signaling the redistricting scramble is spreading. Public Safety/Justice: In Clarksville, “Chud the Builder” was arrested and charged with attempted murder after a shooting outside a Tennessee courthouse. Education Watch: A new national report says the “reading recession” is easing slightly but remains worse in Appalachia than elsewhere.

Operation D-Fence: Hillsborough County says a retail theft ring behind more than $12 million in stolen goods has been dismantled after a months-long undercover operation. Tariff Refunds: The first wave of Trump-era tariff refunds is landing in Americans’ accounts, with the Treasury starting payments after courts struck down parts of the duties. Student Loans: Federal collections are ramping back up as pandemic default protections end, and millions of borrowers are now in default or at risk of losing paychecks. Health Care Fight: Lawmakers are pushing a new push to break up pharmacy middlemen, while Tennessee pharmacists warn PBM conflicts are driving pharmacy closures. Tennessee Politics: The redistricting fight keeps heating up as civil rights groups press lawsuits over maps they say dilute Black voting power. Local Watch: Knoxville is paying $80,000 to attack kudzu after the invasive vine overran parts of the city.

EPA & Toxic Waste: The EPA is pushing to shift coal-ash monitoring to states, a move that could reshape oversight of toxic, often unlined ash ponds. Politics & Voting Rights: Tennessee’s GOP-led redistricting fight is still spilling over—Democrats were removed from House committees after protests tied to the elimination of the state’s lone majority-Black district. Education: A new national analysis finds a “reading recession,” with students still about half a grade level behind pre-pandemic reading benchmarks. Cost of Living: Gas prices are climbing toward $5 a gallon, and inflation hit a three-year high as fuel costs drive prices across the board. Tech & Energy: Google and SpaceX are reportedly in talks about launching orbital data centers for AI infrastructure. Sports & Culture: Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player, died at 47; meanwhile, Luke Bryan announced a new album, “Signs,” for Sept. 18.

Redistricting in court: Missouri’s Supreme Court is weighing whether a new GOP congressional map is unconstitutional and whether it can survive a push for a public vote, as Louisiana and South Carolina consider their own redraws after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act. Tennessee lawsuits: The ACLU and ACLU of Tennessee filed a federal suit to block Tennessee’s new congressional map, arguing it dismantles the state’s only majority-Black district and dilutes Black voters in Memphis. Local impact: In Brownsville, a prom-photo shooting has left seven people shot, with the mayor saying the death toll and injuries have risen since initial reports. Chattanooga growth: A $300M “Sunset Amphitheater” is planned for The Bend, aiming to bring large-scale events to the city. Sports tragedy: Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died at 29 in Los Angeles; authorities are investigating possible overdose. Business moves: IonQ opened a Boulder lab to expand quantum R&D, while Pilot named Sean Marrero president of retail.

Church Security & Guns: A new wave of conservative Christians says carrying firearms is now part of protecting worshippers, citing rising hostility toward churches and shifting views among clergy on whether guns should be allowed in services. Tennessee Politics & Voting Rights: Tennessee lawmakers wrapped a special session by approving a new congressional map that dismantles the state’s only majority-Black district centered in Memphis, triggering protests and renewed legal fights over Voting Rights Act protections. Redistricting Power Shift: The broader national map-drawing battle keeps tilting toward Republicans as courts and state rules make it easier for GOP-controlled legislatures to redraw districts before the 2026 midterms. Public Safety: TBI is investigating a fatal prom-night shooting at Brownsville’s Webb Banks Park, while local authorities report no suspects yet. Local Notes: DeWine named Andy Wilson as Ohio’s attorney general; and a new Mt. Juliet nail lounge opened with a Wilson County expansion.