Dolly Parton didn’t just sing about her Tennessee mountain home. She helped transform it. Her deep devotion to rural Sevier County inspired her music and sparked a tourism boom. News of Parton's death has been profoundly personal for her neighbors. Parton was a beloved country music star and Tennessee's favorite daughter. She co-owned Dollywood, Tennessee’s most visited tourist attraction, and founded The Dollywood Foundation, which helped reduce high school dropout rates in Sevier County. Her Imagination Library has distributed over 330 million books worldwide. Parton's generosity, especially after the 2016 wildfire, changed lives and shattered Appalachian stereotypes.

A Maryland court has ruled that a redistricting amendment cannot go on the November ballot. Democratic state lawmakers had approved a proposed constitutional amendment earlier this month. If passed by voters, it could pave the way to redraw congressional districts before the 2028 election. But a judge ruled that lawmakers missed a July deadline they had set to prepare summaries of ballot measures. The judge paused the effect of his ruling to allow for an appeal. Democrats already hold seven of the state’s eight U.S. House districts. They hope that redistricting could help them win all eight.