Tennessee
I-24 reopens in Rutherford County after emergency shutdown
Update 2:45 p.m.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the emergency situation near I-24 in Rutherford County has been resolved and the interstate is in the process of reopening. Traffic is moving slowly as the scene clears. Drivers needing highway assistance can dial *847 (*THP).
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Authorities have shut down part of westbound I-24 in Rutherford County due to an ongoing emergency situation Wednesday afternoon.
Officials told NewsChannel 5 there is an armed individual who has barricaded themselves inside a home near the 9000 block of Manchester Pike.
No hostages have been reported and officials added that the individual fired their gun into the air, but didn’t target anyone.
Law enforcement is working to negotiate with the individual to surrender and come out safely.
According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, I-24 westbound is closed from the Coffee County line to South Church Street. Nearby Highway 41 is also closed between Epps Mill Road and Big Springs Road.
The Tennessee SmartWay system reports police activity near mile marker 81, where all westbound lanes and the exit ramp are blocked.
Drivers are being directed to take Exit 97 toward Wartrace and follow U.S. Highway 231 back to I-24 in Murfreesboro as an alternate route.
Authorities have not released additional details about the emergency situation.
Tenn. mom invites son’s organ recipients to do his favorite activity, dance
Here’s a beautiful story of how one mother turned her grief journey into a gathering of gratitude… and organ donation awareness.
Robb Coles highlights a special event organized by Cari Hollis – whose 26-year old son Austin died two years ago. Austin agreed to be an organ donor – and that single gesture saved multiple lives.
Cari reached out to as many recipients she could find – several of whom traveled to Nashville for an emotional celebration in Austin’s honor. One woman – whose life was saved by receiving Austin’s lungs – put it simply: “He’s my angel”.
– Rhori Johnston
GREENBRIER, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Middle Tennessee man is facing a 64-count indictment involving child sex crime charges, according to the Greenbrier Police Department.
GPD reports that James Mackenzie Gay was indicted by a Robertson County grand jury following an investigation by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
Investigators arrested Gay on Wednesday and he’s now being held at the Robertson County Jail.
Gay has been indicted on the following charges, according to GPD:
- 20 counts of aggravated sexual battery involving a child under 13
- 36 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, possession
- 5 counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, production
- 1 count of solicitation of a minor for rape of a child
- 1 count of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means
- 1 count of criminal attempted sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means
GPD expressed its gratitude to the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Robertson County Child Advocacy Center for their assistance in this case.
No other information has been released at this time.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Tennessee Republicans unveiled a new monument at the State Capitol honoring unborn children.
The Roe v. Wade decision allowed states to set their own abortion laws and triggered Tennessee’s Human Life Protection Act, which bans nearly all elective abortions in the state. The law has saved about 10,000 lives each year since taking effect, according to Tennessee Right to Life.
The Tennessee Monument to Unborn Children is located on the southeast side of the Capitol grounds. Lawmakers say it recognizes unborn children whose lives ended through abortion and serves as a place for reflection and remembrance.
The monument was approved by the General Assembly in 2018 and was paid for entirely through private donations.
Republican leaders said the monument reflects Tennessee’s commitment to protecting unborn children and honoring the value of human life.
See Dolly Parton celebrate Tennessean Travel Stop grand opening
The country music legend opened the first location of her Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee.
CORNERSVILLE, Tenn. — Out on the street, the traffic started jumpin’ as travelers made their way to Dolly Parton’s Tennessean Travel Stop on opening day.
“Dolly is on her way,” Tennessean Travel Stop owner Gregory Sachs told the media gathered at the new truck destination in Cornersville, saying Parton would cut the ribbon at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24.
The anticipation had been building all morning at the new roadside destination along Interstate 65. The 80-year-old country legend arrived wearing a blue-and-pink fringe ensemble, complete with her signature stiletto heels.
The “9 to 5” singer used the moment to make a playful quip about travel stop competitor Buc-ee’s.
“I’m sure some of you want to know why I wanted a truck stop,” Parton said. “Well, I couldn’t leave it to beavers.”
Parton ended the brief ceremony with a ribbon cutting, marked by an explosion of multicolored confetti featuring her signature butterfly.
The message drew cheers from guests who had spent the afternoon exploring the property, sampling food from DLY BBQ and trying a “Cup of Ambition” coffee, waiting to see whether Parton would make an appearance. Earlier promotional materials for the grand opening had stated that the country music icon would not attend the public festivities.
The appearance marks one of only a handful of public events for Parton in 2026.
In March, the East Tennessee star returned to Dollywood to launch the theme park’s 41st season after stepping back from several appearances while recovering from health issues and grieving the death of her husband, Carl Dean. During that appearance, Parton told fans she had been rebuilding herself “spiritually, emotionally and physically.”
Parton, who has been open about dealing with kidney stones, said in May that she is working with doctors after “my immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack over the past three years.”
What is Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop?
Located at Exit 22 off Interstate 65 in Cornersville, Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop officially opened to the public on June 24. The flagship location is a partnership between Parton, her longtime manager Danny Nozell and Gregory H. Sachs, owner of the Tennessean Travel Stop brand.
Inspired by Parton’s decades spent traveling the country by tour bus and her East Tennessee roots, the destination combines fuel services, food, shopping, live music and Tennessee-themed hospitality.
Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
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