Latest news with #Tennessee
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Smoky Mountains I-40 corridor may be closed for weeks following flooding and rock slides
A major Tennessee interstate that runs through the Great Smoky Mountains may be closed for weeks following flooding and rock slides. It will take around two weeks to clean up and repair the damage left on the I-40 near the Tennessee and North Carolina border Wednesday, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. A series of four rockslides and flooding brought rocks, trees and muddy water. No deaths or serious injuries were reported, but cars and trucks were left stuck in the debris-filled water. As of Thursday, only an 18-wheeler was left on the I-40, the Sentinel reported. Tennessee state Representative Jeremy Faison wrote on X Thursday morning, 'The damage is more extensive than @myTDOT initially anticipated. Significant impacts have been identified on both the interstate and the ramps. As of this morning, several areas remain under water, and there are potentially compromised slopes. Geotechnical engineers are on-site today to assess the stability of those slopes.' Will Reid, chief engineer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said at a Thursday press conference that it will cost an estimated $500,000 to clean up and repair the road, per the Sentinel. The damaged road is part of 12 miles of I-40 that was wrecked by flooding as Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina and Tennessee last September, The Associated Press reported. "We're still in trauma,' Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said at Thursday's press conference, adding that Tennesseans' 'ears are still ringing from eight months ago.' Crews are still fixing the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which will continue alongside the rockslide cleanup, the Sentinel reports. "When that first call went out, immediately it was like, 'Oh no, not again.' But then, within a half a second later of that it was, 'OK, let's do this.' And that's what we do. Whatever the challenge is, we're going to face it together, head on. And we're going to overcome it,' Mathis said.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo Beef' Trend Explained Amid Photo Removal Rumors
The search term 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo beef' recently started trending online, and fans are wondering why. Rumors of a feud between the two musicians are not exactly new amongst fans, as they have emerged online in the past. Speculation once arose, suggesting that Olivia Rodrigo's song 'Vampire' was about Taylor Swift. However, the 22-year-old songstress has denied having beef with anyone, let alone Swift, even expressing admiration for the latter and her work on several occasions. So, why is 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo beef' trending? Here's what we have learned on the same. The term 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo beef' is trending because of recent online reports circulating the internet. They suggest that the 'Drivers License' singer's team had asked Nashville's Bluebird Cafe to remove pictures of Taylor Swift from the restaurant. These reports emerged from an online video. In it, an employee of Bluebird Cafe revealed that Olivia Rodrigo had visited the restaurant in 2023. This was just ahead of the release of her album, Guts. The employee claimed that before she started performing there, they had 'vowed to remove any visible signs of Taylor Swift.' In response to the allegations, the general manager and COO of Bluebird Cafe, Erika Nichols, uploaded a video on X (formerly Twitter). She revealed the truth about what had actually taken place. Nichols confirmed that Rodrigo had filmed at the restaurant. However, she stated that neither the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star's team nor anyone else asked them to remove Swift's image. Nichols shared that the restaurant themselves decided to remove the 'Bad Blood' songstress' image. This was because it 'was in a position where the filming was taking place.' She explained the decision, saying that they were 'required legally to remove images that are under copyright.' 'We don't own those images, so we cannot give permission for those images to be used in any kind of broadcast,' Nichols added. 'That's the sole reason that the photograph was removed from the place it stood.' Additionally, The Bluebird Cafe's COO said that the aforementioned employee who talked about removing 'visible signs of Taylor Swift' from the restaurant spoke 'out of turn.' She added that he didn't understand why they took down Swift's picture in the first place. Furthermore, he spoke 'carelessly and haphazardly' about it. Originally reported by Abdul Azim Naushad on The post 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo Beef' Trend Explained Amid Photo Removal Rumors appeared first on Mandatory.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Man Is Charged With Trying to Kidnap Memphis Mayor, Police Say
A 25-year-old man who said he was angry about crime in Memphis and wanted to confront the city's mayor scaled a wall at the mayor's home late Sunday night and, armed with a stun gun, knocked on the front door, according to the Memphis Police Department. The man, Trenton Abston, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with attempted kidnapping, stalking and aggravated criminal trespass in connection with the episode at the home of Mayor Paul Young. The police said that they had later recovered the stun gun, as well as gloves, rope and duct tape, from Mr. Abston's car. Mr. Young was home, along with his wife and two young children, when he saw the man knock on his door through his doorbell camera, the police said. 'Paul Young reported that he did not know the male and his presence at his door at a late hour wearing a hoodie and gloves put him, his wife and children in fear for their safety,' according to a criminal complaint filed on Wednesday. According to the complaint, in footage recorded by the mayor's doorbell video camera, the man appeared to have 'a lumpy bulge' in the pocket of his hoodie when he knocked on the door. Mr. Young did not open the door, and the man fled. Mr. Young recounted the events of Sunday night in a Facebook post on Wednesday under a family portrait in which he, his wife and their two school-age children are smiling. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo Beef' Trends Amid Photo Removal Rumors
The search term 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo beef' recently started trending online, and fans are wondering why. Rumors of a feud between the two musicians are not exactly new amongst fans, as they have emerged online in the past. Speculation once arose, suggesting that Olivia Rodrigo's song 'Vampire' was about Taylor Swift. However, the 22-year-old songstress has denied having beef with anyone, let alone Swift, even expressing admiration for the latter and her work on several occasions. So, why is 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo beef' trending? Here's what we have learned on the same. The term 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo beef' is trending because of recent online reports circulating the internet. They suggest that the 'Drivers License' singer's team had asked Nashville's Bluebird Cafe to remove pictures of Taylor Swift from the restaurant. These reports emerged from an online video. In it, an employee of Bluebird Cafe revealed that Olivia Rodrigo had visited the restaurant in 2023. This was just ahead of the release of her album, Guts. The employee claimed that before she started performing there, they had 'vowed to remove any visible signs of Taylor Swift.' In response to the allegations, the general manager and COO of Bluebird Cafe, Erika Nichols, uploaded a video on X (formerly Twitter). She revealed the truth about what had actually taken place. Nichols confirmed that Rodrigo had filmed at the restaurant. However, she stated that neither the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star's team nor anyone else asked them to remove Swift's image. Nichols shared that the restaurant themselves decided to remove the 'Bad Blood' songstress' image. This was because it 'was in a position where the filming was taking place.' She explained the decision, saying that they were 'required legally to remove images that are under copyright.' 'We don't own those images, so we cannot give permission for those images to be used in any kind of broadcast,' Nichols added. 'That's the sole reason that the photograph was removed from the place it stood.' Additionally, The Bluebird Cafe's COO said that the aforementioned employee who talked about removing 'visible signs of Taylor Swift' from the restaurant spoke 'out of turn.' She added that he didn't understand why they took down Swift's picture in the first place. Furthermore, he spoke 'carelessly and haphazardly' about it. The post 'Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo Beef' Trends Amid Photo Removal Rumors appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former NFL OL Has Strong Thoughts on Titans Coach Bill Callahan
Former NFL OL Has Strong Thoughts on Titans Coach Bill Callahan originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season in Tennessee, there were tons of questions about the offensive line. Unfortunately, the answers received from the 2024 Titans offensive line were not good, with all quarterbacks who lined up under center being under duress a lot. In the 2025 offseason, the Titans addressed that, signing former Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Dan Moore, Detroit Lions guard Kevin Zeitler and moving 2024 first-round pick JC Latham from left tackle to right tackle. With this reconfigured room, the Titans are hoping for better production and protection up front. Advertisement And while the players have to do the work, the coaches also have to prepare the players to be at their best. That is where Titans offensive line coach Bill Callahan, the father of head coach Brian Callahan, comes in. The veteran NFL coach has had numerous offensive linemen he has coached over the years, and although the Titans' offensive line as a whole did not play consistently well, there is still confidence he will get this group to where they need to be. Former NFL offensive lineman George Foster, in his most recent appearance on the Touring The AFC South podcast, spoke to the genius of the elder Callahan when it comes to offensive linemen "Bill Callahan is the man," Foster said. "He is the GOAT. I have seen what he has done with guys during my time as a scout that I did not think, for lack of a better word, were worth anything. I have seen him get some use of them. Whether it be for a few years or in spot duty. I have seen him get work out of guys that probably shouldn't be in the league as long as they were." Callahan, over his 30 years in the NFL, has established a reputation that is well-known for his expertise in offensive line play. And with the Titans, another challenge stands in front of him. In Year 2, he now works with a group whose talent has been upgraded. But his challenge is to get the absolute best out of them as a unit. He did the best with what he had last year, but we shall see what he can do with the pieces he has this season. But there isn't any shortage of confidence in the abilities he has as an offensive line coach, as Foster stated. Advertisement Related: What the PFF Numbers Say About the Titans Defense Related: Details Emerge on Cam Ward Docuseries That's Coming to Streaming This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
