Tennessee
A tradition like no other: Tennessee man carries Olympic torch in France
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Konstantin Kondylis was the first to ever carry the Olympic torch back in 1936.
The tradition of the Olympic torch relay continues on nearly 100 years later, with relays happening across France in preparation for this year’s Paris Olympics.
Rutherford County’s Andre Hillsman was chosen alongside 19 of his colleagues at Bridgestone to run a part of the relay in France.
“We always focus on dignity and respect,” Hillsman said. “I come to work every day, my thought process is to follow that.”
Hillsman joined the Bridgestone family 25 years ago at their La Vergne plant, which employs nearly 1,000 people.
Now in a position of leadership, he says he oversees the same quality control labs he trained on when he started.
“Even though I’m in leadership, I’m not one of those people that goes looking for accolades,” Hillsman said.
Hillsman says he never wants the spotlight, but the spotlight would find him a year ago. He found out a peer had nominated him to carry the torch for the 2024 games.
Even with that nomination, he’d have to be voted on globally in a company of nearly 120,000 people. It all became real when he found out he was 1 of 20 chosen.
“We have roughly over 120,000 employees worldwide,” Hillsman said. “To be considered in that top 20 is an amazing feeling.”
It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
With over 8 billion people estimated living in the world, and with 11,000 torch bearers between the Olympic and Paralympic games, Hillsman’s chance to carry sat at 0.0001375%.
He has a better chance statistically at winning the lottery.
“It’s going to be surreal, without a doubt,” Hillsman said.
Hillsman’s relay was a 200 meter stretch in Rouen, France. That’s about the length of half of a track.
“First thing I asked, I said, ‘How far is this thing we’re going to actually be running?’”
Two weeks ago, before his relay, his teammates in the La Vergne plant had a celebration to send him off and wish him well before the big trip.
One of his peers even 3D printed a model of this year’s torch design.
”God has always had a hand on me, I feel like that,” Hillsman said. “I’m blessed beyond belief, and I’m blessed to be able to touch these peoples’ lives everyday as well.”
Hillsman says when the relay is said and done, he’ll be spending time over in Europe with his family, making a trip of the opportunity.
“To have this honor, it’s quite high on my list of things in life,” Hillsman said.
Bridgestone is an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner. The company sent 20 employees over to be torch bearers for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 22, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 22 drawing
03-22-34-54-61, Mega Ball: 08
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from May 22 drawing
Morning: 5-0-3, Wild: 3
Midday: 8-9-8, Wild: 0
Evening: 8-9-5, Wild: 4
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from May 22 drawing
Morning: 7-4-0-1, Wild: 1
Midday: 0-7-4-5, Wild: 9
Evening: 8-7-6-8, Wild: 4
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from May 22 drawing
04-11-23-29-34
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from May 22 drawing
07-09-13-14-26, Bonus: 01
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 22 drawing
17-33-36-54-57, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Tennessee Lady Vols are now off to the College World Series after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the second game of what could have been a three-game series. The Lady Vols won the first game off the back of a gutsy performance by Karlyn Pickens, and many of their batters had a great outing.
In game two, the score was 2-0, as the Lady Vols scored off a two-run shot from Sophia Knight. Knight is one of the better players on the team for the Lady Vols, as she hit a home run in game one and had a home run in game two. This game was won without the Lady Vols best pitcher even coming to the mound, as the Lady Vols didn’t even use Karlyn Pickens in this contest.
Even though the Lady Vols are the team playing in their home stadium, they didn’t have the advantage in their game against the Lady Bulldogs, which means the Lady Vols had to pitch to a solid batting squad in the bottom of the ninth, who are also notorious for having a rally. The Bulldogs started the inning with a triple, and the batter later reached home after a wild pitch from Sage Mardjetko.
There would be one out with none on, and the Lady Vols’ star pitcher gained her swagger back with a nasty strikeout that completely fooled the batter on, although, had she gotten a hold of the ball, it likely would have been one to go over. Goodwin would come to the plate with the Lady Vols having a chance to punch their ticket to the college world series, which is exactly what happened off the back of a 1-2 count and a hit to the second baseman, who sat her down for the rest of the season.
The Lady Vols will now await the bracket.
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An east Tennessee school board member who told a teenage girl, “God – you’re hot,” on video at a public meeting in April has been charged with assault.
State prosecutors on 18 May charged 59-year-old Keith Ervin under a Tennessee statute that outlaws “intentionally or knowingly [causing] physical contact with another [that] a reasonable person would regard … as extremely offensive or provocative”.
Tennessee considers that offense a class B misdemeanor, which upon conviction can carry up to six months in jail and a maximum $500 fine.
Ervin’s charge came after his participation in a 2 April meeting of the Washington county school board to which he was first elected in 2006. At that gathering, in plain view of a camera capturing video for the public board’s YouTube channel, Ervin gazed at a female student seated next to him, placed his left hand on her right shoulder, and said, “God – you’re hot. Did you know that? Damn.”
She laughed uncomfortably as he leaned in and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, continuing, “Where do you go to school at?” She provided the name of her school, and he rejoined, “All right.”
Other people in the room could be heard laughing at the end of the exchange. And the Washington school district’s superintendent, Jerry Boyd, visibly smiled while on the other side of the student.
Local media reports describe the girl as a high school senior and a student representative on the board. Her father later went on social media and criticized Ervin’s behavior as “disturbing and inappropriate”.
In that statement, reported by Tennessee news outlet WJHL, the girl’s father said neither he nor her mother believed Ervin “should be anywhere near students” – and he expressed incredulity that the moment passed “without immediate accountability”.
Ervin provided his own statement to WJHL in which he contended he was not “always good with words”. He also maintained that he would not purposefully offend anyone, though he acknowledged the video of him and the girl looked bad.
A Change.org petition almost immediately calling for the dismissals of Boyd and Ervin from their roles has since gathered more than 7,400 signatures. Ervin’s fellow school board members voted to censure him during a special meeting called on 8 April as outrage surrounding his filmed remarks spread beyond Washington county.
The female student at the center of the assault case addressed the county school board directly at a 7 May meeting – and she let its members know she was unimpressed with their handling of the matter, Tennessee’s Knoxville News Sentinel reported. She accused board members of cowardice while rejecting apologies from them, saying: “I do not forgive you.”
She added, “Thank you for teaching me that no one will stand up for me besides myself. Thank you for showing this community what you believe it means to protect our children.”
After he was charged in Washington county circuit court, Ervin was served with a criminal summons ordering him to appear at a hearing tentatively scheduled for 7 August.
Ervin did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
His Washington school district biography says he is a self-employed dairy farmer by trade. The biography also notes that Ervin has two daughters who previously graduated from the school attended by the student listed as the victim in his pending assault case.
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