Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 11-18-24

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Daily News from MuleTown to Music City and beyond. Listen to Tom Price read the news of the day from Kennedy Broadcasting, WKOM & WKRM Radio.

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today
News Copy for November 18, 2024

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Chief Cobb Motion Blocked (CDH)
Opposing attorneys sparred Thursday for a second round in Maury County Circuit Court over a lawsuit brought against the city of Columbia by former fire chief Ty Cobb regarding his March termination.
During the hearing, lasting approximately 45 minutes, a Motion for Stay of Judgment pending appeal filed by the city was discussed, following Judge David Allen's Aug. 2 ruling in Cobb's favor, in which Allen ordered the city to grant Cobb a civil service trial.
Newly-appointed Circuit Court Judge Jessie Chandler Parrish, 22nd Judicial District, ruled Thursday to reschedule the Stay of Judgment to be heard on Dec. 9 or 12, because of some delays with the city paying outstanding attorney fees in the Middle Tennessee appellate court.
The city appealed Allen's decision in the Middle Tennessee Court of Appeals in Nashville Aug. 21, while also filing a Motion for Stay of Judgment Sept. 20 in Maury County Circuit Court.
Cobb was terminated seven months ago for continued "insubordination," according to a March 12 letter by city manager Tony Massey.
Cobb filed a lawsuit soon after because Massey did not grant Cobb a civil service trial before the termination — a right owed to civil service employees, the lawsuit argues. Massey stated in a March letter to Cobb that he is not a civil service employee but a "department head," a position not awarded a civil trial.
Cobb’s attorney, Barton E. Kelley, citing city statutes, argues Massey is the department head, while Cobb serves as a civil servant under his authority.
Cobb also filed a federal lawsuit in the Tennessee Middle District Court on Oct. 23 against the city of Columbia and Tony Massey, claiming violation of civil rights, claiming he was fired because of being a "whistleblower," exposing previously fired firefighter Roy Brooks, who was charged with carrying a firearm on the campus of Columbia Central High School May 2023. District Attorney Brent Cooper dropped the case against Brooks in May.
In the federal suit, Cobb also asks for backpay during the stint of his termination and for his position to be reinstated as fire chief.
Cobb's attorney argued before Parrish, to reject the request for Stay of Judgment and that the city immediately schedule a civil service trial for Cobb.
Kelley argued that Cobb was experiencing substantial injury due to his unemployment.
"It has been 247 days that Ty Cobb has been out of his position of employment ... without health insurance," Kelley said.
Kelley said finding other employment is difficult due to the nonresolution of the case.
"What if employers could ask, 'Did you get fired for cause,'" Kelley said. "How is he supposed to answer that?"
If Cobb wins the cases, he could potentially return as fire chief, according to Kelley.
In a March 12 letter, Massey says Cobb's termination was due to "insubordinate" behavior, which lists by bullet points concerns by an unnamed "concerned citizen" as follows:
A message calling another city employee "dumbass"
A message falsely accusing the chief of police of being involved in an attempted break-in at the apartment of the person who sent the text
A message offering to pay for favorable news stories which would benefit your interest
City attorney Robert Burns said he is confident the city can win the appeal, while Kelley called the case "game over."
The new court date will be set once parties agree on a date in December.

Spring Hill Planning Discusses Airport (CDH)
The Spring Hill Planning Commission was presented a request last week, which could lead to the city establishing its own airport off Jim Warren Road.
The request, submitted by applicant Richmond Company for Spring Hill Commerce Center, was to add the zoning designation of airport district to a previously approved 706.46-acre Professional Development Plan (PDP).
The item was ultimately approved unanimously with a favorable recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
The property was favorably recommended to the BOMA in December of 2022, with a goal of developing a high-quality employment hub for both Spring Hill and the surrounding region, which would include a mix of light industrial and commercial businesses, according to a Spring Hill planning staff report.
Prior to last week’s discussion, supporters spoke to the benefits of Spring Hill opening its own airport, particularly to attract business investments, as well as provide educational opportunities for up-and-coming aviation pilots.
Mike Harris, founder of Hawkins Flight Academy in Shelbyville, said the airport in Spring Hill is needed to support those seeking an aviation career.
"What this is going to be an airport for, is an economic engine to bring tremendous value to this community. The businesses that look for headquarters that have high paying jobs, high-valued corporate headquarters, one of their criteria is easy access to an airport," Harris said.
"What this is as well is an opportunity for young people to pursue flight training and to pursue high-paying jobs. I have 17-year-old high school seniors ... who by the time they are 21 are going to be making six figures in the airlines, at 21 years old."
He said the commute is long to Shelbyville for area students training to be a pilot.
"These kids don't want to drive to Shelbyville. I have young people from this community flight training with us," Harris said. "It's a long drive when you are there five days a week for an hour-and-a-half flight lesson, but with two hours of driving."
Others raised concerns about the effects of constructing and operating an airport such as noise for nearby residents, as well as uncertainty in the airport's role.
"I don't totally disagree with what [Harris said], but there is not enough information about what's going to be in that airport district," John Lee, a Duplex Road resident said. "The community is full of rumors, and I'm sure he doesn't want an airport right in his backyard, but it's right next to where I live."
Harris argued that, in the long run, the benefits will outweigh the inconvenience, and that the airport's runway is also oriented towards I-65 and away from residences.
When the item was brought back to planners for discussion, the conversation was fairly brief and focused primarily on the approval process as the project moves to the BOMA. The project will also be considered by the city's Industrial Development Board.
"I believe the applicant believes there are potentially a condition or two that might not necessarily align between the zoning document here and what the [IDB] is working through," Alderman Matt Fitterer said. "I want to ask the applicant, staff and BOMA to review the two documents once we finally see their final form, since the [IDB] might want to advise BOMA in light of that document."
City Attorney Patrick Carter said the development agreement's final draft would be submitted this week, which would give BOMA members plenty of time to review it. Fitterer agreed.
"We've got two readings and two votes at BOMA, and if we need to adjust a condition or two there's no reason that can't happen," Fitterer said.

Maury Regional Work-Study (MSM)
The medical professions are demanding, even daunting prospects for a person looking at them from the outside. With years of training, stacks of textbooks to read and high stakes with no do-overs, they can intimidate many who might be interested in pursuing them.
Fortunately, the staff of Maury Regional Medical Center remember what it was like to be new to their fields, encountering everything for the first time. As one might expect of doctors and nurses, their response has been to offer help: by taking nursing students, medical students, and new doctors under their wings, and introducing them to medicine through Maury Regional’s programs for work-study, shadowing and medical residency.
“What we’re trying to do… is ignite dreams,” explained chief HR officer Dennis Fisher. “Healthcare is not for everyone, I would say it is a calling… We want to help those [students] recognize [whether] they have a calling, and how [to] respond to that calling. And if they have that calling, we want them to come back here to work.”
The hospital’s work program brings in 10-12 students each year from Maury County Public Schools, up to 300 nursing students from Columbia State Community College (CSCC) and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), and medical students from colleges in the greater Nashville and Huntsville areas, including Austin Peay, Lipscomb, MTSU and the University of Alabama. High school students can make $15 an hour working for the hospital, while higher-level students in the “work-based learning program” do not get paid.
Charlotte Marler, a fourth-semester student in the Registered Nursing program says she was attracted to medicine by many influences: Dr. Mark Seago’s Biology class at Agathos Classical School; her grandmothers, who were both nurses; her parents’ demonstration, as a firefighter and a teacher, of the dignity of a public-service career; and her mother’s fight with cancer, which took their family to Washington, D.C. for treatment and showed young Charlotte what great patient and family care looked like.
“It should’ve been really upsetting… [and] traumatizing… [but] I actually look back on that year and remember a lot of great things,” Marler said. “It wasn’t nearly as scary as it should’ve been, and I attribute that to how everyone in our lives really pitched in and helped out where they could. I really see nursing as a way to do what I can.”
The nurses who are her preceptors and mentors have given her lots of structured freedom to practice her education.
“Whatever they’re comfortable with you doing, you can do, within reason. You can help give meds, you can help start IVs, you can help do assessments on patients,” Marler said.
Even so, they offer practical experience to improve upon the book learning of their students.
“This is what they tell you in nursing school, this is what that translates to in real life,'” Marler paraphrased her preceptors. “They’re very sweet, down-to-earth people who really want you to succeed… They remember nursing school… [and] you can always ask ‘why’ one more time.”
Marler appreciates the extremes and unpredictability of her daily work in the ER and will begin to practice in January or February if she passes the RN exam.
“Even just in the seven months, I really feel like I’ve grown up in the medical [profession],” she said. “I just feel so much more involved now, and I have a better understanding.”
The role of teaching in solidifying one’s own knowledge means that the program also helps the hospital staff.
“Our physicians understand… what physicians need to know as they are… learning,” explained Dr. Christina Lannom, the Chief Medical Officer. “And… when you’ve got that sort of relationship… it enhances [a medical professional’s] own knowledge, because you might be challenged to dig deeper to answer their questions.”
Sarah Thomas, a third-year medical student, is also a Columbia native educated at Zion Christian Academy. The seeds of medicine were planted in her by her diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes as a child. While staying at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital for her treatment, she was inspired by her “incredible” endocrinologist.
“She really solidified that medicine was what I wanted to do… [and] made me feel that I could take care of myself even with a really heavy diagnosis,” Thomas said. “I wanted to be able to give back to kids the way she gave to me.”
The future Dr. Thomas is particularly interested in children’s medicine, taking an elective in pediatric cardiology. She prizes patient interaction as one of the great benefits of her job, especially in the pediatric ward where she was doing rotations at the time of her interview.
“I like working with kids, they keep it light and interesting,” she explained.
Between Maury Regional, the Franklin medical center and Loyola Marymount University, she’ll have the chance to do four-week rotations in eight different wings, including behavioral health, pediatric, cardiac, OB-GYN and internal medicine, as well as electives.
Because her work centers on people, Thomas appreciates Maury Regional’s approach to treatment.
“We talk about the person as the whole body: not just musculoskeletal, but also mind and spirit,” she explained. “And so [we value] being able to take care of the whole person, including their mental health and physical health.” Being taught by doctors has been invaluable too: “They bring a new level of knowledge to my education… All of my preceptors have been incredible.”
Yet another prized hometown student is pharmacist Raquel Lockridge, who passed through Whitthorne Middle School, Columbia Central High and Columbia State before her undergraduate studies at Tennessee State and her doctorate at UT. She, along with Dr. Jordyn Hopkins (from Lynnville) and Dr. Emily Wilber (from north Alabama), is completing a year of training at Maury Regional to get experience as clinical pharmacists in a hospital or emergency-room setting.
Dr. Lockridge also took an interest in medicine when she was being treated for Type 1 diabetes at a young age. She recalled that she first started to take her own health seriously when a Maury Regional pharmacist explained the effects and reasons for her treatments.
“That changed my life, because I was in and out of the hospital, not really taking care of myself, because I didn’t understand how the medicines were working,” she said. “I… want to echo that in a young child’s life.”
Dr. Lockridge has already helped other future pharmacists by serving as preceptor for students from Lipscomb University. One day, when staff pharmacist Dr. Karen Summers couldn’t be there, she stepped up to work on a patient-safety ECRA, impressing the much more experienced pharmacists. She’s interested in “precise medicine” (how medications interact with individuals’ unique constitutions) and hopes to start a cardiac risk factor clinic here with Dr. Victoria Martin, a cardiologist who came to Maury Regional from Ascension St. Thomas in August.
Dr. Hopkins, who grew up in Giles County, remembers that Maury Regional was the big regional hospital even when she was young. She took dual enrollment classes at Columbia State while in high school, then did a “two-four” program at Belmont to skip two years of undergraduate to go to medical school early. Now that she’s a fully certified doctor, she enjoys having her recommendations taken seriously and working with other medical professionals to determine the right course of treatment for a given patient.
One goal of the program is to benefit the hospital itself, and rural medicine more broadly, said Dr. Martin Chaney, the CEO of Maury Regional. Over the last 20 years, rural America has lost primary-care doctors at alarming rates, because doctors tend to practice near the place of their post-graduate residency. Since Medicare funding goes mostly to urban hospitals, many future doctors spend their residencies there and start their careers nearby.
Maury Regional is well-equipped to help attract students back to rural medicine. Though it serves six poor, very rural counties, it’s only an hour or two away from well-funded urban medical centers in Nashville and Huntsville. It’s also generously funded and staffed for a rural medical center, with an award-winning cardiac health wing, other state-of-the-art facilities (and more that are being planned and built), dozens of highly qualified staff (many of whom practiced in prestigious Nashville hospitals) and an annual budget of over $250 million.
“To bring good doctors into our service area in Southern & Middle Tennessee, our focus has to be training people close to here… They tend to go where they feel needed and wanted, and feel like they can make the biggest difference,” Dr. Chaney said. “So we thought, ‘What better way to help us recruit doctors than to offer medical education to students, and have them train in a rural environment? [They can] be in our clinics, be in our hospitals, get to know our medical staff, build those relationships… get an idea of what their practice needs to look like.”
Marler confirms Dr. Chaney’s hope in the power of residency or work-study, to anchor a medical professional in a particular place. She now lives in Chapel Hill and plans to settle there with her boyfriend (also a nursing student), with both of their families close by.
“Getting all that clinical experience here, you really start making connections and… friends and getting settled,” she explained.
Thomas also was glad that the program gave her the chance to practice in her hometown.
“I’m very fortunate that the match worked out the way it did for me, so I could be able to come back here,” she said. “We had 47 sites to choose from when we were at school, and Maury was at the top of my list… The community is invested in me. My family is here, my fiancé’s family is here, we’re here to stay.”
Dr. Lockridge is open to either leaving or staying at Maury Regional when her training year is up.
“I’m planning to probably go elsewhere if opportunities arise, but if opportunities are to stay here, I would stay here as well,” she said. But she appreciates running into the people she grew up with. “Being back at home and being able to serve people who raised me and helped me get to where I am, making a full circle, is what I like about being here,” she smiled. “Walking through the hallways, I see a lot of my former teachers.”
She even gets to work alongside the school nurses who used to administer her insulin shots.
The program isn’t only meant to help future doctors and nurses to build their chops. Hospital purchasing officer Cathy Malone hopes to bring in students and apprentices in all the relevant in-house professions, from custodians to plumbers to accountants to human-resources officers, to learn what it takes to run the moving parts of a hospital.
“A hospital is a microcosm of society,” Fisher explained. “Most jobs that you find in society, you’ll find here in the hospital.”
“When you think of a hospital you think of clinical, but there’s so many more opportunities than that,” said Tiffany Graves, director of nursing and professional development.
After five years, the hospital has hosted 53 college and medical students in the summers alone, and 24 doctors and 32 pharmacy residents have graduated from it. Of the first class of eight doctors, two are considering returning to Maury County to practice as they finish their residences.
Five of last year’s 15 nursing students have already been brought onboard to do patient care. At new-nurse orientation every two weeks, Fisher said, they hear from their former students all the time.
“I did my clinicals here,” Fisher said, paraphrasing the nurses’ comments. “The people on the third floor, fourth floor, sixth floor, were just so welcoming that I wanted to be a part of this family.”

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…
William Eugene “Bo” Bohannon, 87, resident of Spring Hill, died Friday, November 15, 2024 at his residence.
Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 7:00 PM at Spring Hill Memorial Funeral Home. The family will visit with friends on Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 4:00 PM until the service time. Oakes and Nichols Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

And now, news from around the state…
Money Launderer Charged (WilliamsonScene)
A Franklin man has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly defrauding his former, employer, Bridgestone Americas, Inc., of nearly $15 million.
On Nov. 9, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested 43-year-old Sajju Khatiwada in Nashville after he allegedly submitted “bogus reimbursement invoices" starting in 2016.
Khatiwada worked with banks to provide credit card processing services at Bridgestone's U.S retail locations, including initiating payments for bank fees and credit card processing fees.
Prosecutors said that in 2020, Khatiwada “created a phony vendor called Paymt-Tech, LLC and began submitting bogus invoices to Bridgestone for purported bank fees owed to Paymt-Tech,” and continued to submit a total of 47 fraudulent invoices totaling  $14,923,978.57 until he left the company in April 2024.
“Approximately two months later, Bridgestone Accounting Department personnel questioned the significant decrease in monthly bank fees being paid by Bridgestone,” a Department of Justice news release reads.
If convicted, Khatiwada faces up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to twice the value of the money laundered.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
Zoolumination is back and brighter than ever.
The Nashville Zoo is once again lit up with hundreds of lights and adorned with larger-than-life mythical creatures for the holiday season. Visitors will be able to enjoy a new feature this year, an ice-skating rink, allowing visitors to ice skate beneath the glow of custom, silk lanterns.
Zoolumination is open now and there is plenty of time to enjoy the lanterns. The event is scheduled to run through early February 2025. 
Learn more by visiting www.nashvillezoo.org.