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
Leaving a Legacy
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, […]
Inspiration
Leaving a Legacy
Ken “The Bull” Atkin: The Fight Continues Long After the Final Bell
By Mike Sparks Ken ‘The Bull’ Atkin: A Fighter Then, A Fighter Still There was a time when Ken “The Bull” Atkin stepped into the ring as a man you […]
Leaving a Legacy
Obituaries
Beloved Tennessee Statesman Jim Tracy, Devoted Public Servant and Community Leader, Dies at 69, Leaving a Legacy in Tennessee
By Mike Sparks Tennessee Statesman Jim Tracy, Devoted Public Servant and Community Leader, Dies at 69 I first met Jim Tracy when I ran for Rutherford County Commission in 2002. […]
Leaving a Legacy
Tennessee Business
$2.50 Ice Cream Scoop of Hope: Roshan Bhakta’s Baskin-Robbins Reopens on America’s 250th, Just Days After Burying His Father
A Scoop of Hope: Roshan Bhakta’s Baskin-Robbins Reopens on America’s 250th, Just Days After Burying His Father By Mike Sparks Some stories arrive wrapped in irony so pointed you can’t […]
Faith
Leaving a Legacy
Fatherless in Tennessee: Why This Crisis Demands Our Attention
By Mike Sparks June is a fitting time to talk about fatherhood. Father’s Day began in 1910 when Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, proposed a day to honor fathers […]
Inspiration
Leaving a Legacy
Smyrna Remembers One of Its Own: Dr. Clark Harrell Headlines Memorial Day Tribute Honoring Captain Jeff Kuss
Smyrna Remembers One of Its Own: Honoring Captain Jeff Kuss on Memorial Day TennesseeLedger.com Staff There are moments that remind you why community matters. Memorial Day in Smyrna was one […]
Leaving a Legacy
Beane Brothers BBQ Honors Historian Marty Luffman’s 400,000-Mile Saddle on the Wall: Rutherford County Pays Tribute to a Three-Time National Champion
True Grit: Honoring Marty Luffman and a Legacy Hung on the Wall A champion’s saddle, 49 states, and a story that deserves to be told By Mike Sparks | TennesseeLedger.com […]
Leaving a Legacy
Politics
Memphis Mourns: Rep. G.A. Hardaway Dies Hours After General Assembly Tribute
By Mike Sparks Tennessee Mourns the Loss of Representative G.A. Hardaway: A Legacy of “Policy Over Politics” NASHVILLE, TN — Flags across Tennessee flew at half staff as the Tennessee […]
Leaving a Legacy
Politics
Relationships Over Policy: Why Michael Hale Believes Personal Connections Define Effective Governance
Editor’s Note: It’s always nice to receive a simple ‘thank you card.’ It’s a simple gesture—yet yields the best return. I received this today from Chairman Michale Hale who chairs […]