Marty Luffman: “Cowboy Up” — A Passion for History and Horses (and the Strength to Keep Going)
Marty told me last Sunday, “My level of pain is about a 10.” When I stopped by, he didn’t sugarcoat it. I could feel how heavy the week had been […]
Leaving a Legacy
Politics
Tennessee Business
Cracker Barrel’s Woke Gamble Doesn’t Pay: Masino Steps Down as Brand Faces Fallout
By Tennessee Ledger Staff There’s a modern adage, “Go Woke, Go Broke”—and those words of wisdom certainly held true when it came to Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel CEO and board […]
Crime: Police: Law Enforcement
Life Style
How the lighthearted social media trend of ‘teen takeovers’ took a serious turn
This article was originally published in The Chattanooga Free Press July 26, 2026 by SAFIYAH RIDDLE and COREY WILLIAMS / Associated Press When Damarion Spann, 18, saw an Instagram flier […]
1st Amendment/Free Expression
Chewing Gum for the Mind: Dr. Larry Burriss on Why We Should Bring Back Mindless Entertainment
OLD ENTERTAINMENT 07/27/2026 Publishers Note: Dr. Larry Burriss was one of my favorite MTSU professors. His course Free Expression is the class that inspired me to complete a second degree […]
Politics
State officials mourning East TN Mayor Joe Brooks killed in motorcycle crash
State and local leaders are mourning the sudden passing of Claiborne County Mayor Joe Brooks, who died Friday night following a motorcycle accident in Union County. According to preliminary reports […]
Faith
Leaving a Legacy
Obituaries
Remembering Smyrna’s Harold Galyon: A Life of Faith, Service, and Quiet Encouragement
Smyrna has lost one of its finest. Harold Houston Galyon, 88, passed away peacefully at home on July 21, 2026, leaving behind a legacy built not on fanfare or headlines, […]
Life Style
Danielle Breezy Brings Sizzling Skies and Cajun Spice to Smyrna’s Avondale Drive!
By Mike Sparks Sizzling Skies & Cajun Flavors: WKRN’s Danielle Breezy Brings the Backyard BBQ Forecast to Smyrna “Look, there’s Happy and Lisa!” said my wife, Felicia, after seeing WKRN […]
Inspiration
“Nobody’s Seizing His Farm”: John Rich Steps In to Help Tennessee Farmer Fighting IRS Mistake
By Mike Sparks The Unwanted Refund: How Country Star John Rich Helped a Tennessee Farmer Defeat the IRS Having experienced it up close, I know how easily news outlets lean […]
Military
Did You Know? The General’s Last Mission: Inside General Forrest’s Fatal B-17 Raid
Tragedy Over Kiel: The Day General Nathan Bedford Forrest III Was Shot Down By Mike Sparks On June 13, 1943, a catastrophic daylight bombing raid over the German submarine yards […]
History
His Great-Grandfather Rode for Forrest. Now He’s Telling the Real Story at Sam Davis Home
Publisher’s Note: As a Tennessee state lawmaker, I have seen firsthand how today’s climate of political correctness can discourage open and honest dialogue. It is troubling that exercising First Amendment […]