Tennessee

Mack Whitcomb commits to Vanderbilt baseball as Tennessee Tech catcher transfer

Published

9 months ago

June 21, 2025

Mack Whitcomb commits to Vanderbilt baseball as Tennessee Tech catcher transfer

Tennessee Tech catcher and Ohio Valley Conference player of the year Mack Whitcomb committed to Vanderbilt baseball in the transfer portal, according to an Instagram story posted June 21.

Whitcomb, who prepped at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, hit .360 as a sophomore in 2025 with 12 doubles, two triples and 15 home runs.

As a freshman in 2024, Whitcomb hit two home runs in a game against Vanderbilt and had four hits overall.

Whitcomb joins a crowded group of catchers on the Commodores’ roster that also includes incumbent starter Colin Barczi, redshirt freshman Aukai Kea and freshman Korbin Reynolds. Barczi is a draft-eligible sophomore in July’s MLB draft. Two catchers have already transferred out as well in Mac Rose and AJ DePaolo.

During the season, Vanderbilt added commitments from Cornell infielder Max Jensen and Princeton pitcher Jacob Faulkner. Earlier on June 21, the Commodores also received a commitment from Washington State outfielder Logan Johnstone.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

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Tennessee

Tennessee gas prices keep climbing. Is this the highest they’ve ever been?

Published

1 hour ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee gas prices keep climbing. Is this the highest they’ve ever been?

Gas prices have risen by over $1 nationally following a conflict with Iran.
Tennessee’s highest recorded average gas price was $4.64 per gallon on June 12, 2022.
Recent gas prices in Tennessee have increased to $3.65 for regular as of March 24.

Gas prices remain a significant issue as the conflict with Iran persists, prompting the United States government and individual states to take action against the rising costs.

On Feb. 28, President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran, which the country then responded to by closing the Strait of Hormuz. This blocked about a fifth of the world’s oil from moving to global markets, including the United States.

Since the war began last month and the Strait was closed, gas prices across the country have risen by over $1, and in Tennessee, they have increased by $1.10. While these prices may seem exorbitant, it was only a few years ago that the entire nation saw its highest recorded gas prices.

Here’s the record for the highest gasoline price in Tennessee.

What is the highest price for gas in Tennessee?

According to the AAA gas price tracker, the highest recorded price for a gallon of regular gas was on June 12, 2022, at $4.64. Diesel hit its record high three days later at $5.64.

This is the recorded high for the state average; however, localities have different records, all established around the same time.

Here are the highest recorded prices for gas in Tennessee’s major cities:

Chattanooga: $4.60 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.52 on June 14, 2022, for diesel.
Clarksville: $4.71 on June 9, 2022, for regular; $5.71 on June 15, 2022, for diesel.
Jackson: $4.69 on June 16, 2022, for regular; $5.70 on June 21, 2022, for diesel.
Johnson City: $4.62 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.70 on June 11, 2022, for diesel.
Kingsport: $4.60 on June 12, 2022, for regular; $5.66 on June 12, 2022, for diesel.
Knoxville: $4.65 on Sept. 15, 2008, for regular; $5.66 on June 10, 2022, for diesel.
Memphis: $4.65 on June 14, 2022, for regular; $5.60 on June 18, 2022, for diesel.
Morristown: $4.63 on June 13, 2022, for regular; $5.67 on June 20, 2022, for diesel.
Nashville: $4.68 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.68 on June 15, 2022, for diesel.

How high are gas prices in Tennessee now?

Here are the recently tracked dates for the prices of a gallon of gasoline in Tennessee:

March 11: $3.20 for regular, $4.78 for diesel
March 19: $3.59 for regular, $5 for diesel
March 24: $3.65 for regular, $5.27 for diesel

A month ago, a few days before the United States and Israel initiated the war with Iran, regular gas was $2.55, and diesel was $3.40.

DeKalb County has the highest regular gasoline price at $3.86 on March 25. Hancock County has the lowest price at $3.50.

Of the state’s major metropolitan areas, Knoxville has the cheapest regular gas at $3.60. Chattanooga and Memphis follow at $3.62 and $3.64, respectively. Nashville has the highest price at $3.69.

What is the gas tax in Tennessee?

In the United States, there are two taxes added to gasoline when you go to fill up your vehicle. The first tax is the national tax, and the second is the state tax.

In the United States, the federal government collects a flat rate of 18.4 cents per gallon from residents in every state. This tax is included in the price seen at the pump.

According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the gasoline tax in Tennessee is 26 cents, effective July 1, 2019. For diesel fuel, the tax is 27 cents.

Tennessee House Democrats are urging a statewide gas and diesel tax holiday to lower pump prices. In a March 24 press release, State Representatives Bo Mitchell and John Ray Clemmons asked Governor Bill Lee and their Republican colleagues to set aside funding in the FY26-27 Budget Amendment currently being discussed for prompt tax relief for families.

Which states have the highest gas taxes?

All 50 states have a gas tax charged per gallon at the pump, but some states’ gas taxes are up to eight times those of others.

These are the states with the highest gas taxes as of September 2025:

California: 70.92 cents per gallon
Illinois: 66.4 cents per gallon
Washington: 59.04 cents per gallon
Pennsylvania: 58.7 cents per gallon
Indiana: 54.5 cents per gallon

Conversely, these states have the lowest gas taxes in the United States:

Alaska: 8.95 cents per gallon
Hawaii: 18.5 cents per gallon
New Mexico: 18.88 cents per gallon
Arizona: 19 cents per gallon
Oklahoma and Texas: 20 cents per gallon

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.

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Tennessee

Man charged in West Tennessee quadruple murder pleads not guilty

Published

13 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Man charged in West Tennessee quadruple murder pleads not guilty

JACKSON, Tenn. (WZTV) — A man accused of killing four people in West Tennessee pleaded not guilty during a court appearance Tuesday.

Austin Drummond appeared before a judge Tuesday, and his attorney filed a motion requesting the trial be moved to a different county.

Drummond faces multiple charges, including murder and aggravated kidnapping. Prosecutors say he fatally shot four family members, including the parents of a baby who was later found abandoned in Dyer County.

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The state is seeking the death penalty. Drummond is due back in court in May.

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Tennessee

Sweet 16, bitter history for Tennessee. Can Vols break through in 2026?

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Sweet 16, bitter history for Tennessee. Can Vols break through in 2026?

Tennessee basketball has made it to the Sweet 16 a dozen times, but only a fourth of those appearances ended with a victory sending the Vols to the next round. For years, this pivotal tournament round has felt like a barrier the Vols couldn’t clear − and, with more sour moments than sweet, some called it a Tennessee curse.

History looms large over Tennessee as the No. 6 seed Vols (24-11) prepare to face No. 2 Iowa State (29-7) at 10:10 p.m. March 27. Tennessee has earned March Madness berths 28 times, including for the 2026 tournament.

Tennessee’s only Elite Eight appearance prior to Rick Barnes becoming coach in 2015 came under Bruce Pearl in 2010. Barnes began to turn Tennessee around in the subsequent years, culminating with back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 2024 and 2025.

Despite claiming the SEC Tournament title five times, Tennessee has never made it to the Final Four. The Vols are hopeful 2026 is the year that changes.

The March 27 game will be Tennessee’s fourth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance under Barnes. The Vols are 3-8 in this round of the tournament, which it reached for the first time in 1967:

1967: Dayton 53, Tennessee 52
1981: (1) Virginia 62, (4) Tennessee 48
2000: (8) North Carolina 74, (4) Tennessee 69
2007: (1) Ohio State 85, (5) Tennessee 84
2008: (3) Louisville 79, (2) Tennessee 60
2010: (6) Tennessee 76, (2) Ohio State 73
2014: (2) Michigan 73, (11) Tennessee 71
2019: (3) Purdue 99, (2) Tennessee 94 (OT)
2023: (9) Florida Atlantic 62, (4) Tennessee 55
2024: (2) Tennessee 82, (3) Creighton 75
2025: (2) Tennessee 78, (3) Kentucky 65

The historic first Sweet 16 win in 2010 ended with a 76-73 victory over Ohio State. The Vols trailed by three points heading into halftime before taking and sustaining the lead toward the end of the game.

Tennessee went on to lose by just one point in the Elite Eight versus Michigan State in the 2010 tournament.

“It’s going to stick with us,” guard Bobby Maze said at the time, according to Knox News archives. “Any time we watch college games or during tournament time, we’ll always come back to that very moment where we were just too short.”

From there, Tennessee would spend more than a decade searching for another Sweet 16 win.

It came in 2024 when the Vols beat Creighton 82-75 to advance to the Elite Eight. Dalton Knecht was the leading scorer for Tennessee, finishing the game with 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Once again, the Vols couldn’t advance to the Final Four, dropping their next game to tournament runner-up Purdue 72-66.

Tennessee returned to the Sweet 16 in 2025 and defeated Kentucky 78-65 to earn consecutive Elite Eight appearances. Zakai Zeigler ended the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Chaz Lanier wasn’t far behind with 17 points. The Vols again dropped the Elite Eight game to what ended up being the tournament’s runner-up, Houston, 69-50.

The Vols are 33-28 all time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 14-7 record under Barnes.

Knox News reporter Joanna Hayes covers restaurants and retail for the business growth and development team. Email: joanna.hayes@knoxnews.com; Instagram: @knoxeat65. Sign up for Joanna’s Eat65 email newsletter to get the latest drink and dining news, as well as restaurant recommendations, at knoxnews.com/newsletters.

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