Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 1-7-25

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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.

WKOM/WKRM Radio
Southern Middle Tennessee Today
News Copy for January 7, 2025

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
School Late Opening (Press Release)
Maury County Public Schools reported this morning that due to the potential for icy roads, all Maury County Schools will operate on a 2-hour delay. Twelve-month employees are cautioned to use discretion when deciding when to report to work.
Williamson County Schools are closed for today.

Spring Hill Fire (MauryCountSource)
On Saturday night, just after 10 p.m., workers in the 5400 block of Main Street in Spring Hill reported a strong odor of smoke and visible smoke coming from an auto repair business.
The Spring Hill Fire Department (SHFD) was dispatched for a smoke investigation. Upon arrival, firefighters observed thick black smoke rising from the roofline on two sides of the structure. The incident was quickly upgraded to a commercial structure fire, prompting a full department response. Columbia Fire Rescue provided automatic aid, while the Maury County Fire Department ensured city-wide stand-by coverage.
After a detailed investigation, it was determined that a heating malfunction in an oil burner caused the smoke. No additional hazards were found within the building. Fire crews remained on the scene for approximately 40 minutes before clearing the incident.

Columbia Man Sought (MSM)
The Franklin Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a convicted felon who was recently sentenced for striking an officer with his vehicle.
Roy Nicholson III, 28, of Columbia, was scheduled to turn himself in on Jan. 2, 2025, to begin his five-year prison sentence but never showed. A capias warrant has been issued.
In April 2022, Nicholson struck Officer Dustyn Stevens with his vehicle while attempting to flee a traffic stop along I-65. Nicholson was convicted in August 2024 of reckless aggravated assault, evading arrest with a deadly weapon (vehicle), possession of marijuana with the intent to sell and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. He was sentenced in November 2024.
Anyone with information on Nicholson’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Franklin Police Department at [phone], or Crime Stoppers of Williamson County at [phone]. Callers can remain anonymous.

Jeter Resigns from County Commission (MSM)
The Maury County Commission formally announced the resignation of 8th District Commissioner Ray Jeter during a special called meeting on Monday, Jan. 6.
Jeter’s resignation was triggered after he reportedly moved outside his district, which under state law automatically triggers a resignation.
Jeter ran for the Republican nomination for State House District 64 last year but lost in the primary to incumbent Scott Cepicky.
While Jeter had not formally issued any statement his picture has been removed from the list of commissioners on Maury County’s website and the seat shown as “vacant.”

Tom Hitch Parkway to Partially Close (Press Release)
Repairs to a bridge crossing the Duck River will lead to a temporary closure of a portion of Tom J. Hitch Parkway, Maury County and City of Columbia officials announced last week.
Beginning on Monday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m., Tom J. Hitch Parkway will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bear Creek Pike (Highway 412) and Iron Bridge Road. Construction is expected to last through summer 2025.
Highway 31 through downtown Columbia is the preferred detour, officials announced.
Anyone with additional questions is encouraged to contact the Maury County Highway Department at [phone].

Investigation into Ogles’ Campaign Finance Recommended (CDH)
After a preliminary review, an independent federal agency has recommended the U.S. House Ethics Committee conduct a full investigation into U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ campaign finances, centering on a $320,000 contribution reported by Ogles' 2022 congressional campaign.
The Office of Congressional Ethics made the recommendation this week. Ogles and his wife did not cooperate with the agency's preliminary review and the office is recommending the couple be subpoened as part of the investigation.
Following an ethics complaint last January, Ogles admitted that the self-loan of $320,000 that he had reported as cash to the Federal Election Commission for two years was in fact a “pledge” for funding for which the need never arose. He later amended disclosures to reduce the loan reported to $20,000. A complaint against Ogles was referred to the Office of Congressional Ethics in August.
The preliminary investigative report released Thursday found “substantial reason” to believe Ogles’ campaign “accepted excessive contributions that were reported as personal loans and contributions from the candidate,” and “may have intentionally misrepresented the amount of money he loaned to his campaign.”
“Rep. Ogles’ campaign operated with $300,000 less than it reported – but did not dip into the red or spend general election dollars, suggesting Rep. Ogles was aware of the campaign’s true, unreported cash on hand,” the report states. “Rep. Ogles controlled his campaign finances and provided his treasurer with misleading documentation of the reported $320,000 loan.”  
The Trump ally and House Freedom Caucus member was reelected to a second term in November, weeks after the FBI took possession of his cell phone as part of a probe believed to surround his campaign finances.
Ogles has publicly dismissed allegations of wrongdoing as a symptom of a “weaponized Justice Department”. The FBI probe didn’t hurt Ogles with his base.
Office of Congressional Ethics staff deposed Ogles’ campaign treasurer Thomas Datwyler and chief of staff Grant Henry – who was campaign manager for his 2022 and 2024 campaigns – finding Ogles “exercised significant control” over his campaign’s finances “to the point that both his campaign treasurer and campaign manager lacked access to his campaign bank account and relied on Rep. Ogles for information about campaign finances.”
House Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest, R-Miss., and Ranking Member Rep. Susan Wild, D-Penn., said in a statement that further review of Ogles’ case does not in itself indicate that any violation has occurred. 
Ogles has faced scrutiny and multiple complaints over his federal campaign finance disclosures for more than two years, including a Federal Election Commission complaint alleging a “pattern of malfeasance” in his financial dealings in 2022, and $5,750 in civil penalties for campaign finance violations after the 2022 cycle.
He was first elected to Congress in 2022 – 20 years after he first ran – becoming the first Republican to represent Nashville in the 5th Congressional District after state lawmakers split the city into three GOP-leaning districts.

Motor Vehicle Record (Press Release)
Beginning Jan. 10, 2025, new or returning Tennessee residents who currently have a driver license from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Vermont or West Virginia must present a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) from their former state when applying for a Tennessee license.
Individuals from these eight states must obtain an MVR from their former state before applying for a Tennessee license or ID. An MVR must have been issued within 30 days before its presentation at a Driver Services Center. The MVR is required alongside other necessary documents to apply for a Tennessee credential. For more information about the documents required to obtain a license in Tennessee, visit tn.gov/safety/driver-services.html.
All other states, including Tennessee, participate in the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators’ State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service. This service allows participating states to electronically access the complete Driver History Record of anyone applying for a driver license. As a result, individuals moving from one of the 41 participating states do not have to obtain an MVR to qualify for a Tennessee driver license.
Through the S2S system, states can share real-time information about individual drivers, including convictions and license withdrawals. By providing a driver’s complete history, states can reduce the risk of fraud and improve safety by keeping dangerous drivers off the roads. Additionally, S2S enhances accuracy and reduces the processing time for a obtaining a new credential in Tennessee.
The MVR requirement will change as additional states join the S2S Verification Service. For the latest information, please visit tn.gov/safety/.

Maury Alliance Annual Meeting
Join Maury Alliance on Thursday, January 30th for their annual meeting, their most anticipated event of the year as they celebrate their accomplishments for 2024 and recognize the transition of their volunteer leadership. 

This will be a lively night of entertainment and networking celebrating business and industry in Maury County with a social hour, dinner and live music! 

The event will take place at the Memorial Building, located at 308 W. 7th Street in Columbia. The event will begin at 5pm with a networking/cocktail hour and wrap up by 8pm. Purchase tickets now to guarantee a seat at Maury Alliance’s biggest event of the year!  Get them by visiting www.mauryalliance.com.

Registration will close January 20 at 5:00 pm. 

Night of Hope (Press Release)
The Well Outreach is pleased to present their 2025 "Night of Hope" on February 22nd, 2025 at Worldwide Stages featuring Christian Contemporary Artists, We The Kingdom! It's going to be an evening full of inspiring live music, worship, and hope - plus, your ticket helps feed local families in need.

What's Included:
- Your ticket feeds a family of four with groceries for a week
- VIP/Meet & Greet opportunities (with upgraded ticket)
- Small bites and tastings before the show
- A live auction to support The Well Outreach’s cause
- A powerful concert and worship experience with We The Kingdom

This event raises important funding for the rest of the year so that The Well can meet the needs of thousands of families coming to their food pantry with food insecurities. This is more than just a concert - it's a night to come together in faith and make a tangible impact on the lives of those who need it most. 

Tickets are still available, including limited seats to a special meet-and-greet with We The Kingdom plus tickets by the seat or table.
For more information on the work and mission of the Well Outreach, please visit their website: thewelloutreach.org

Maury County Clerk Satellite Office (Press Release)
The Maury County Clerk’s office can now help residents with renewals of license plates or placards each Wednesday from 8am to 3:30pm at the Maury County Senior Center located at 1020 Maury County Park Dr.
Please drive around to the back of the building and look for the car tag renewal sign near the back door.
Forms of payment include credit/debit card or check – no cash.
Any Maury County Resident can use this office.
All other transactions will still need to be done through the main office located at 10 Public Square.
Also, you can renew online at TNCountyClerk.com or at kiosks in Spring Hill City Hall or Mt. Pleasant Courthouse.

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…
Leroy “Lee” Seals, Jr., 72, a retired minister, and resident of Columbia, died Sunday, December 22, 2024 at TriStar of Spring Hill. 
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Columbia First Church of the Nazarene with Lang Ingram officiating. There will be a time of remembering his full life with family and friends in attendance. 
Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

And now, news from around the state…
Covenant Responders Receive Medal of Valor (Tennessean)
As an active shooter tore through The Covenant School on March 27, 2023, a group of Nashville police officers ran toward the gunfire and took the shooter down.
Now they have been awarded the Medal of Valor.
President Joe Biden on Friday delivered the nation's highest award for valor by a public safety officer to five Nashville police officers for their response to the mass shooting at The Covenant School.
Metro Nashville Police Sgt. Jeffrey Mathes, Detectives Michael Collazo, Ryan Cagle and Zachary Plese, and officer Rex Engelbert received the award.
Biden made a brief statement to the media Friday afternoon after awarding the medals in the Oval Office, according to a report from a White House correspondent shared with other media outlets.
"They saved children, they saved people in serious distress," Biden said of the honorees. He added, "they literally put their lives at risk."
The Metro Nashville Police Department said in a post to X that the officers and Police Chief John Drake met with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in the Roosevelt Room, a meeting room in the White House.
Six people, including three 9-year-old students, were killed when a former student entered The Covenant School and opened fire. The shooting claimed the lives of head of school Katherine Koonce, 59; custodian Mike Hill, 61; substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61; and third-graders Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs, the Covenant Presbyterian pastor’s daughter.
"The officers rushed to the scene, and as they arrived, the shooter opened fire on them," the White House said in its announcement sent Friday morning. "Still, the officers entered the school, cleared classroom after classroom, and ran towards the sounds of gunfire where they encountered the shooter. They took down the shooter."
Some or all of the five responding officers recognized Friday have received numerous other awards for their bravery, including the First Responders Children's Foundation's annual "Roll Call of Heroes," the Fox Nation Patriot Award, being named honorary professors at Middle Tennessee State University's spring 2023 commencement ceremony, being named the Metro Nashville Police Department's Officers of the Year and The Tennessean's 2023 People of the Year.

School Vouchers For Urban Areas Only (Tennessean0
More than half of Tennessee counties would have no school options under a proposal to expand controversial, taxpayer-funded vouchers that help families pay for tuition at K-12 private schools, according to a Tennessean analysis of state data.
As Gov. Bill Lee and Republican state lawmakers resume their fight to expand the state's voucher program in 2025 after a failed effort in 2024, The Tennessean took a deep-dive into just how much the state's private schools cost — and how accessible they are to families.
Their analysis found that 51 of the state's 95 counties would have no private school options under the proposal. Additionally, it revealed that more than 90% of counties would have five or fewer private schools that could choose to accept vouchers. Private school options would be largely concentrated in the state's more urban, densely populated counties.
At present, Tennessee offers roughly $9,000 vouchers through its Education Savings Account Program in Davidson, Hamilton and Shelby counties to families with low income. But identical bills filed in November in the Tennessee House and Senate would expand vouchers to all 95 counties, capping the number of $7,075 vouchers at 20,000 yearly.
Under the new bill, Category I-III state-accredited private schools could accept vouchers. A state database lists 300 of them, of which 93 already accept vouchers under the current program. Students attending independent home schools and umbrella church-related home schools would not be eligible to participate. In Maury County, three schools…Columbia Academy, Columbia Academy-Spring Hill, and Zion Christian Academy would qualify.
The Tennessean compiled tuition information for the 184 qualifying private schools with 100 or more K-12 students. A handful of schools did not list tuition online or respond to a request for information. An analysis showed a voucher would fully cover tuition at just 19 of the schools.
Based on the maximum tuition among those schools, Currey Ingram Academy in Brentwood, which serves students with learning differences like dyslexia, language delays and mild autism spectrum disorders, is the most expensive. Day school tuition is set at $49,556 a year, while boarding tuition is $79,170. The school offers pre-K through 12th grade, and a voucher would cover up to 14% of tuition.
McCallie School, an all-boys school in Chattanooga that offers grades 6-12, is the next most expensive. Day tuition is $34,360 per year, while boarding tuition for non-international students is $66,590.
The bill earmarks 10,000 vouchers for families with incomes below 300% of the income limit to quality for free or reduced price lunch, or for families who have children with disabilities. For example, a family of four with annual income less than $173,160 would qualify, according to current federal guidelines. The remaining 10,000 would be available to any students, regardless of family income.

Ortagus Tapped by Trump (Tennessean)
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former State Department spokesperson and one-time Tennessee congressional candidate Morgan Ortagus as deputy special presidential envoy in the Middle East.
Trump announced the pick on Friday.
The former Fox News national security commentator is a Florida native who moved to Nashville in 2021. She currently hosts a Sirius XM radio show. Ortagus worked in both the Obama and George W. Bush administrations, serving as spokesperson with the U.S. Agency for International Development before moving to the Treasury Department as an intelligence analyst. 
Months after she moved to Tennessee, she launched her campaign for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District. Trump backed her for the seat, but her candidacy sparked months of intraparty fighting among Tennessee Republicans. Some Republicans in the legislature quickly moved to enact residency requirements that would require candidates to live in their district for at least three years before running for office.
Though the legislation ultimately didn't impact Ortagus's candidacy, the Tennessee Republican Party eventually booted her from the ballot for failing to meet its "bona fide" candidate requirements, which include voting in three of the last four previous Tennessee GOP primaries.
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tennessee, eventually won election to the seat.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
Experience the sensational return of an absolute crowd favorite! Secure your tickets now for an unforgettable night with the Journey tribute band Resurrection on February 8th at The Mulehouse in Columbia. These events consistently sell out.
Prepare to be mesmerized by their flawless rendition of iconic Journey songs that will leave you astonished at how closely they capture the spirit of the original band. Get your tickets today and make memories that will last a lifetime!
Learn more at www.themulehouse.com.