• We knew something was up when the FDA gave us the green light to start eating tomatoes again despite the continued rash of salmonella illnesses. They’re now thinking it’s the Texan jalapeños. New rule: When in doubt, blame Texas. [WSMV]
• An apartment complex on 16th Ave. near Belmont went up in flames this morning after a guy knocked over the incense he was burning. No word yet on how many residents are displaced, but fortunately no one was hurt. Hats off to the firefighters who were called out in the record-breaking heat to put out the fire. [WSMV]
• Gov. Bredesen admits that the state buyout plans aren’t going as well as he’d hoped. We’re not sure what he was expecting since he’s trying to cut 2,200 jobs from the state budget, but those who don’t accept the buyout plans will be laid off anyway. [WKRN]
• Jessica Simpson played her first country show in Wisconsin this week, eliciting a pretty wide range of reactions. [Tennessean]

Photo by Thomas Hawk.