• We can’t really imagine what 17 loads of chicken poop must smell like, but apparently it was bad enough to shut down the entire Rhea County school system early today. [WZTV]
• The guy who barged into a Knoxville church a few months ago and killed two people was sentenced to life in prison. He claimed he did it because he “hated liberals and gays.” [Tennessean]
• Costs continue to rack up for the TVA since someone told them they need to find ways to not ruin the environment. If they comply with the US District Court’s mandate to clean up coal plants near the NC border, they’ll have to find some way to come up with $1.8 billion. [Tennessean]
• Speaker of the House Kent Williams, the Republican that everyone started hating when he pulled the proverbial rug from beneath the Tennessee Republicans last month, got kicked out of the Republican Party today. Which brings the House total to 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and Kent Williams. [WTVF]

Photo by ArcheiaMuriel.