Welcome! If you’ve followed my reporting on NewsChannel5, you already know I love a good story the kind that makes you think, smile, or sometimes just shake your head.

This newsletter is a new way for us to stay connected beyond the nightly newscast or Facebook My goal is simple: to keep you informed, engaged, and close to the stories that shape our community. Some weeks it’ll be hard news, others something that just makes you feel good. Either way, I’m grateful you’re here and along for the ride.

Now, let's get into it!

A cat lost at a Dickson, TN rest stop had people across the country watching.
Twelve days after a trucker left without his feline, good Samaritans caught the scared cat using food, a trail cam, and a trap.
The cat’s safe but the trucker hasn’t been found.
If you recognize the story or the driver, message me.
Maybe we’ll get the reunion this little traveler’s been waiting for.

Remember Ed, the zebra who broke free in Rutherford County before being airlifted to safety?

He’s now living happily in Texas but he’s still inspiring costumes here at home.
Smyrna’s Mikey Cahill is dressing her dog “Eddie Van Halen” as Ed the Zebra for Halloween.
Not sure how Eddie feels about it, but it’s one heck of a tribute.

Thirty years after chemistry class, a teacher and his former student shared something far more powerful than a lesson.

Jackie Bennett, once a beloved teacher at Page High, needed a kidney.
His former student Kelly Wilkerson turned out to be a perfect match. The transplant went smoothly at St. Thomas West. He once gave her A’s now she’s given him life.
They’re sharing their story to raise awareness about organ donation.

Starting January, Social Security payments will increase 2.8%, or about $56 a month for 80 million Americans.
It’s a bit higher than last year’s 2.5% adjustment, but with inflation still rising, the question remains:

Will it be enough to make a difference?

The ATF has finished processing the site of the explosion that killed 16 people at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen.
Now begins the long process of lab work to find out what caused it.
It’s about more than science it’s about answers for families and lessons for the future.
Investigators won’t speculate yet, but finding the “how” and “why” remains critical.
We owe that much to those who lost their lives.

In Rutherford County, a pickup truck flipped over an I-840 bridge and landed below on Shacklett Road just after a school bus passed underneath.
The bus was hit by debris, but all 19 students were unharmed.
The driver, who had no license or insurance, was cited.
It could’ve been tragic but thankfully, it wasn’t.

I’ll keep digging into the stories that matter and you can help guide what comes next.

If you ever see something you think I should look into, reply to this email or drop me a message on Facebook. Your stories and tips are what make this work worth doing.

-Nick

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