Andrew Stanley was ready for a big baseball season at Haywood County High School. The right-handed starting pitcher was prepared to take his team to state when his last season of baseball was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the University of Tennessee, Julia Dergunov has launched a brand that is having a positive impact on the way people spend their time. The 21-year-old advertising major created the label “up to something”, embroidered it on a hat, and wore it as an indicator that she was always living in the moment.

According to climatologist and geography professor Kelsey Ellis, nighttime tornadoes are more than twice as likely to be deadly. More than half of Tennessee's deaths from tornadoes are happening at night. Research suggests the South has a greater vulnerability due to a larger proportion of the region’s tornadoes occurring at night. In an interview with Ellis, she discusses what causes nocturnal tornadoes and why they are killing more people. A combination of poor warning systems, unstable structures and a lack of awareness has increased the vulnerability to nocturnal tornadoes and resulted in more fatalities happening across the Southeast.

Seasonal allergies are a prominent issue for East Tennessee residents. While many problematic plants are causing runny noses and itchy throats, the most common allergy trigger in the fall is ragweed. Ragweed thrives in hot temperatures, sporadic rain, and rural areas, making East Tennessee an ideal location for the allergy irritant.