Tennessee
Tennessee family shocked after storm splits new home in half
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — Families across Lawrence County, Tennessee, are beginning the difficult process of cleaning up and rebuilding after severe storms tore through the area Sunday night, leaving a path of destruction and many residents in shock.
Among those affected is Terry Davis, who says the damage left behind is overwhelming.
Home seen here was struck just days after it was purchased. The home had only been delivered and set up on Friday, March 13 and Terry Davis says the powerful winds split the home completely in half before his son even had the chance to live in it. (Photo: FOX 17 News)
Davis said the storm struck just days after his 24-year-old son purchased a brand-new double-wide mobile home. The home had only been delivered and set up on Friday, March 13.
According to Davis, the powerful winds split the home completely in half before his son even had the chance to live in it.
“One side is here, and there’s another side that looks just like that somewhere,” Davis said while surveying the damage. “I don’t know if it’s down there or where it’s at, but there’s a whole other side.”
Despite the devastation, Davis says his family is grateful that everyone is safe.
I’m just kind of shocked,” Davis said. “My family’s all right, and we’re fortunate. Lord bless us.”
The emotional toll of seeing the destruction has been difficult for the family.
Cleanup continued in the small town of Bonnertown in Lawrence County, Tenn. after emergency management officials said a tornado may have touched down in the area Sunday, March 15, 2026. Damage to the area seen here. (Photo: FOX 17 News)
“It is emotional,” Davis said. “I told some friends last night to come up here and I said, right now I can’t talk. I don’t know what to say. I’m kind of in shock.”
Davis says it’s heartbreaking to see something his son worked so hard for destroyed in seconds.
It’s a terrible thing to see how hard he worked, and it don’t take but a second to destroy it,” Davis said.
The home, Davis says, cost around $120,000. However, there may be some relief ahead. Davis says the seller of the mobile home came to the property after the storm and told the family they plan to replace it.
For now, Davis says the focus remains on finding a place for his son to stay and beginning the long process of recovery.
“We’ve got to find a place for him to live,” Davis said. “The main thing is just grateful they’re alive. I’m grateful they’re alive.”
Tennessee’s redistricting special session Day 1 recap
State lawmakers returned to the capitol for a special session May 5 to consider carving Memphis into Republican-safe districts.
Tennessee House District 93 officially has someone in its briefly vacant seat.
Willis Lincoln TJ Hardaway III will hold the seat until the next general election in November. He has not made a decision as to if he will run officially for the seat yet, but will listen to the will of his constituents.
The house seat was formerly held by his father, State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, a Democrat from Memphis. Hardaway died on April 24. His death left the Tennessee House District 93 seat, which encompasses South Memphis and Orange Mound and stretches to Shelby Farms, open.
Hardaway was nominated by acclamation by the board. After he was nominated to the position, he spoke to commissioners and thanked all of them by name. He said he spent the last year spending a lot of time with his father, wanted to get to know him.
“This could not have been better timing. Last year, I spent various moments one on one with my father, for no other reason other than wanting to know more about the man…turns out I already knew the man because I already know myself,” Hardaway said.
He will travel to Nashville the evening of May 6 and be sworn in to office.
The Shelby County Commission moved swiftly to appoint someone to the seat due to the state legislature being called into a special session. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee called a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly to review the state’s congressional map on May 1, with the session beginning on May 5.
The push for redistricting Tennessee’s Congressional districts came from President Donald Trump, after the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back protections of the Voting Rights Act. The General Assembly was gaveled into the special session on May 5, which was also election day for many counties in Tennessee.
A map revealed the morning of May 6 splits the state’s 9th Congressional District and carves up Tennessee’s only majority-Black congressional seat, in Memphis. The new map shows three districts in Memphis, two of which stretch all the way to Williamson County outside Nashville.
Brooke Muckerman is the education and children’s issues and politics reporter for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal.com.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Rising fertilizer costs and global supply concerns could affect Tennessee farmers and eventually push food prices higher, according to a recent MarketWatch analysis and agricultural data.
An American Farm Bureau Federation survey of more than 5,700 farmers found that about 70% said they may not be able to afford all the fertilizer they need this year.
Tennessee farmers could feel those pressures as well. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture reports the state is a major producer of crops such as soybeans and corn, both of which rely heavily on fertilizer.
Higher costs for farmers can ripple through the food supply. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has previously reported that increases in production expenses, including fertilizer, can contribute to higher food prices for consumers.
Nationally, food prices remain elevated. Grocery costs are still rising, with the USDA predicting an overall price increase of 2.9% this year.
The issue is tied in part to possible global factors. Fertilizer prices have risen amid geopolitical tensions and supply constraints, including disruptions linked to international conflicts and competition for key materials used in fertilizer production, according to a report out of the University of Illinois.
While U.S. agriculture remains stable overall, analysts warn that reduced planting or higher input costs in 2027 could tighten supply and put additional pressure on prices.
For Tennessee, where agriculture remains a key part of the economy, the impact could be felt both on farms and at the checkout line.
The Tennessee Volunteers were well represented when it came to the NFL Draft. They had multiple selections during the draft, and multiple players signed with a team following the draft, but one player had to compete for a roster spot during a mini camp, as he was invited to mini camp to make a name for himself.
That player is former Tennessee Vols running back Star Thomas, who left for the NFL after just one season with the Vols due to his loss of eligibility. Thomas was a split backup for the Vols, and he finished with 564 yards, as he was the No. 2 and No. 3 at different points throughout the season. The only running back he fell behind entirely was DeSean Bishop, who led the pack between Thomas, Peyton Lewis (who transferred to Virginia), and himself.
Tennessee Football RB Star Thomas Receives His NFL Fate After Tennessee Titans Camp
Thomas was invited to stay inside the state of Tennessee and compete with the Tennessee Titans in their mini camp for a chance to stay on the roster and be signed, but unfortunately enough for him, he didn’t receive a contract and will not sign with the Titans, as they are now moving on from him. While this can be viewed as shocking that he isn’t with an NFL team, it also makes sense as to why the Titans will not have him on the roster.
The Titans are already loaded at the RB position, as they have built a deep and reliable running back group. They will be starting with Tony Pollard in the lineup, but he will be backed up by Rookie Nick Singleton, Tyjae Spears, Michael Carter, Julius Chestnut, and Kalel Mullings. If they were to add a guy like Thomas, he would never find his way onto the field, and it would be holding the Titans back from adding a player to a position of need.
Thomas’s future in the NFL remains uncertain, as no teams have contacted him for a second chance, which leaves Thomas with very few options. He could be looking to find a new home elsewhere, or could be trying to get himself into a different league and be a star there. If the talented prospect is given a chance for a team that needs a running back, then things could be different, but it will depend on what the roster looks like and what type of player a team is looking to bring in.
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