SUMMARY: Intense storms in southeast Memphis caused 13 power poles to fall along Shelby Drive near Getwell, leaving thousands without power. MLGW and Memphis Police have blocked affected roads due to live power lines posing a significant danger. One downed line even crushed a car, though the driver is expected to be okay. The outages have impacted many homes and businesses in the area amidst extreme heat, complicating recovery efforts. Utility crews are working through the night to clear debris and restore power, with no estimated timeline for repairs yet. Authorities have closed a half-mile stretch of the road for safety.

At least 16 power poles on Shelby Drive were knocked down around 7 p.m. Thursday. And on Friday morning, MLGW crews were …

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SUMMARY: Dr. Ralph Alvarado, Kentucky’s first Hispanic state legislator and former Republican state senator, announced his 2026 bid for Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District seat. Now Tennessee’s health commissioner, Alvarado plans to return and align with Trump’s “America First” agenda, focusing on issues like border security and fighting the “woke agenda.” The seat, held by GOP Rep. Andy Barr, is a Democratic target for the 2026 midterms. The race includes GOP challengers Ryan Dotson and Deanna Gordon, and Democrats Zach Dembo, Cherlynn Stevenson, and David Kloiber. The district blends rural GOP areas and Democratic-leaning Lexington, shaped by recent redistricting.

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SUMMARY: Byron Black, scheduled for execution in Tennessee on August 5, has a heart implant—a combined pacemaker and defibrillator—that could cause severe pain by delivering shocks if triggered during lethal injection. Experts warn that the drug pentobarbital used in the execution may induce dangerous heart rhythms activating the device, causing continuous shocks. Black’s attorneys argue the device should be disabled beforehand, but state officials and medical experts claim it’s unlikely to be triggered and that any shocks would be felt in a coma state, preventing pain perception. A court ruling on this issue is expected soon.

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