Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 12-9-24

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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.

WKOM/WKRM Radio
Southern Middle Tennessee Today
News Copy for December 9, 2024

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Fatality (MauryCountySource)
Emergency units responded to an accident reported on Hampshire Pike near McKinnon Lane at 3:50 PM last Wednesday.
The collision involved a commercial vehicle and a passenger car. Tragically, the car’s occupant was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Maury County Fire Department remained on-site for about an hour to assist.
The roadway was closed for several hours as the Tennessee Highway Patrol conducted its investigation.

CPWS Worker Indicted (MSM)
An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has resulted in the indictment of Christian Nash, a former broadband technician for Columbia Power and Water Systems in Maury County.
Investigators determined Nash misappropriated at least $1,905.94 in utility-purchased gas using a CPWS fuel card.
 
Nash allegedly made 78 unauthorized gas purchases between Oct. 21, 2022, and May 12, 2024, by using a fellow CPWS employee’s fuel card identification number to make these purchases.
 
On multiple occasions, a local gas station’s video surveillance footage reportedly showed Nash in possession of at least two five-gallon cans when he made personal gas purchases. Investigators confirmed with CPWS that Nash had no reason to purchase gasoline since he drove a diesel-powered CPWS truck.
 
Nash’s employment was terminated in May 2024. Based upon this investigation, in November 2024, the Maury County Grand Jury indicted Nash on one count of theft over $1,000 and one count of fraudulent use of a credit card over $1,000.
 
“When public entities allow employees to use fuel cards, it’s important they provide oversight,” said Comptroller Jason Mumpower. “Reviewing fuel card statements for questionable transactions is one way to ensure improper use is detected promptly.”

Tri-Star Donates to CSCC (MauryCountySource)
TriStar Health, part of HCA Healthcare, has announced that the HCA Healthcare Foundation has awarded $52,000 to Columbia State Community College to support the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) program. The grant will provide funding in 2025 that supports 26 students in completing the program for a cost to each student of $99. The CCMA program serves students in Williamson, Maury and surrounding counties.
“We are proud that the HCA Healthcare Foundation is supporting Columbia State Community College and providing opportunities for students to pursue healthcare careers,” said Mitch Edgeworth, president of the HCA Healthcare TriStar Division. “Our academic partners are vital to providing a talented healthcare workforce that will deliver compassionate, high-quality care for our community.”
The CCMA program is part of the Columbia State Workforce and Continuing Education department and is designed to train students in essential clinical tasks within a medical office. The 14-week program prepares students to take certification exams to become medical assistants. It includes 140 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on labs at the Williamson campus, with an optional 160-hour clinical externship with a local healthcare provider.
TriStar Health has supported Columbia State for many years, providing healthcare expertise to advisory committees for the nursing and emergency medical services programs. In addition, five Columbia State health sciences programs participate in clinical rotations through many TriStar Health hospitals, including TriStar Centennial, TriStar StoneCrest, TriStar Horizon, TriStar Southern Hills, TriStar Skyline and Pinewood Springs Mental Health and Wellness. In Maury County, radiology students gain experience at TriStar Spring Hill ER.
“We are grateful to HCA Healthcare and TriStar Health for their historic partnership, and we are thankful to the HCA Healthcare Foundation for providing financial support for the CCMA program to help students succeed,” said Bethany Lay, vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Community College Foundation. “Students enrolled in short-term credential programs face limited funding options, and this grant will allow more students to access our program and begin pursuing their healthcare career.”
The funding for the grant is part of HCA Healthcare Foundation’s Middle Tennessee Fund, which supports organizations that provide services in health and well-being, basic needs, primary care, education and the arts. To date in 2024, the Middle Tennessee Fund of the HCA Healthcare Foundation awarded over $6.7 million in grants to 204 nonprofit agencies across Middle Tennessee, supporting more than 4.2 million community members.
To learn more about the CCMA program, please email [e-mail]. Registration for the spring cohort begins on December 16.

Capley GOP Caucus Secretary (MSM)
State Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown, has been reelected to serve as House Republican Caucus Secretary during the 114th Tennessee General Assembly.
In his role as secretary, Capley will preside in the absence of the caucus chairman and vice-chairman. He will also be responsible for tracking discussion items from caucus meetings, and distributing communications related to these items and other important issues as directed by the caucus chairman or by action of the caucus.
“I thank my fellow members of the House Republican Caucus for reelecting me to serve as secretary,” Capley said. “It’s a great privilege advocating for conservative principles in the State House, and I’m excited to continue our work making Tennessee an even better place to live, work and raise a family.”
Capley has served as secretary since 2023. He was first elected in 2022 to represent House District 71, which includes Wayne and part of Hardin, Lawrence and Maury counties.
“Representative Capley’s expertise, strong character, and willingness to work with others makes him an essential member of our caucus as we strive to build a better future for our state,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville.
The 114th General Assembly is scheduled to convene on Jan. 14, 2025.

Ultium Raises Money for Breast Cancer (MSM)
Ultium Cells recently announced that its first annual Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser successfully raised $6,570 to benefit the Women’s Center at Maury Regional Health. Proceeds will help fund comprehensive treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and infusion treatments, along with resources like a wig bank, lymphedema garments and additional support for eligible patients.
In October, Ultium Cells embraced the theme “Paint the Plant Pink” to raise awareness. Every Wednesday, team members showed their support by wearing breast cancer awareness apparel. As part of the effort to promote early detection, Ultium Cells also offered a mammogram van for team members and their families.
“I feel grateful to be a part of a team that truly supports and rallies around our community,” said Gretchen Murray, President of the Ultium Women Club. “Together, we’re making a powerful difference — advancing understanding, supporting early detection and ensuring access to essential care.”
The Women’s Center provides patients and their families with access to clinical specialists, advanced treatment technologies, and supportive services. For more information and resources, please visit www.mauryregional.com/our-
services/womens-health/womens-center.

DA Office to Honor Homicide Victims (MSM)
The District Attorney’s Office will host the fifth annual “Night to Honor” ceremony to honor and remember victims of homicide in Maury, Lawrence, Wayne and Giles County. The observance will take place in Lawrenceburg at First Baptist Church, 2100 Springer Road, on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. Guests should arrive at 5:30 p.m. for registration, with the program beginning at 6.
District Attorney General Brent Cooper said, “The goal of this event is to, hopefully, provide a small amount of comfort for these families. The Christmas holiday is especially difficult for those who have lost a loved one to homicide. This event is meant to make the holiday a little brighter for them. We sincerely invite any family member who has lost a loved one to homicide to attend this event.”
This year’s speaker will be Norma Castro, the sister of Juan Castro, who was murdered on April 13, 2008, in Columbia after attending a quinceañera. Four individuals were tried and convicted of the murder.
Family and friends who have lost loved ones to violent crime are invited to attend the event. Their loved ones will be honored as participants place a memorial ornament on one of four wreaths, each representing the county in which the loved one was lost. After the ceremony, the four wreaths will be put on display during the holiday season at their respective courthouses.
For additional information about this year’s event, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at [phone]
ext. 6107 or email Kendra Cannon at [e-mail]. Please also email a picture of your loved one to be included in the ceremony. If you are attending the ceremony, you are invited to bring an ornament in remembrance of your loved one.
You may also find information on Facebook by visiting Brent Cooper, District Attorney-22nd Judicial District.

King’s Daughters’ Santa Mailbox (CDH)
Every year, the King's Daughters' School partners with Heritage Bank & Trust to help bring a little Christmas cheer to disadvantaged students through its Santa's Mailbox Program.
The KDS students participating in the program are typically those under state's custody and/or without a home or family to spend the holidays with, having to instead stay on the King's Daughters' campus.
The Santa's Mailbox Program has each student write down his or her Christmas wishes in letters to Old Saint Nick. The letters are then delivered to Heritage Bank & Trust's lobbies at 217 S. James M. Campbell Blvd. in Columbia and 109 S. Main St. in Mt. Pleasant.
The letters are now available to pick up by community members, who will then shop for gifts, clothing or anything else requested on the list. Gifts are then dropped off at the Santa's Mailbox area located at either of the bank's locations.
"We are so grateful to Heritage Bank & Trust for their support of our Santa’s Mailbox program," KDS Executive Director Shauna Pounders said. "Many of our students cannot go home for the holidays, so the contributions of the bank, their customers, and our entire community make their Christmas wishes come true."
Gifts must be donated no later than Thursday, Dec. 14.
After all gifts are delivered, King's Daughters' staff will wrap each gift, which will then be placed in Santa's bag ready to be delivered Christmas Eve.
"Heritage Bank & Trust is proud to be a part of the wonderful work being done by The King's Daughters' School," Jim Robinson, KDS Board Member and President and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Bank & Trust said. “We are honored to partner with an organization making such a great impact on our community."

Mule Day Works (Press Release)
Mule Day 2025 is just a few months away and the Mule Day Committee wants to share what’s new and invite every business and civic organization to consider becoming an Official Mule Day Partner.
 
Why? Because every dollar raised goes to offset the huge expense of producing this historic event, enabling Mule Day to expand its charitable efforts through the expansion of the Mule Day WORKS Scholarship Program. (www.muleday.com/works) 
 
What is Mule Day WORKS? The Mule Day WORKS Scholarship program provides young people from Maury County with funds to help them pursue Career & Technical Education or Vocational Training. The program has four 2024 graduates currently enrolled in training, and they hope to double or triple that number in 2025. Current recipients are engaged in training that ranges from the medical and administrative to electrical and welding. The program is specifically designed to address gaps in the Tennessee Promise scholarship program by providing additional funding for expenses that would otherwise become a financial burden to the student. In addition to tuition, these funds may be used for books, special tools, supplies, required travel and a wide range of expenses to help recipients succeed. Plus Mule Day WORKS currently accepts applications from students who have graduated or obtained a GED within two years of the current graduating class. Offering CTE to young people who would otherwise not be eligible through the state program.  
 
How does my company benefit?   Partnerships levels are available for groups and companies of EVERY SIZE and include some powerful marketing benefits such as; full color ad in the Mule Day Souvenir Program with 12,000 copies distributed in Maury County and surrounding areas (deadline is 12/23/24), website links with your logo, priority placement of those with parade entries, as well as premier display locations at the park during Mule Day for those who wish to promote their products or services to tens of thousands of attendees. New for 2025 is the deployment of a Mobile Digital Billboard giving all partners increased exposure at both the park and for the first time in the Mule Day Parade. Plus many additional benefits.
 
If you or your company would like to become an Official Mule Day Partner and help improve Maury County – one young person at a time please contact:
 
Brady Carr
Chairman
Mule Day WORKS Scholarship Committee
931-224-1930
www.MuleDay.com/Works
[e-mail]

Local Holiday Shopping Guide (Press Release)
The holiday season just got a whole lot brighter!  For the very first time, Maury Alliance is excited to present the Local First Holiday Guide — a one-of-a-kind guide to holiday shopping, dining, and celebrating in Maury County, exclusively featuring Local First participants!

This isn’t just another holiday shopping list—it’s YOUR ticket to making a real impact on our community by supporting the incredible small businesses that make Maury County unique. From beautiful gifts to remarkable experiences, the Local First Holiday Guide has everything you need to make this season special and give back to the place we all love.

 What’s Inside the Local First Holiday Guide:
For Her – Discover the best local gifts for the women in your life
For Him – Find the perfect presents for the men in your life with unique gifts from Maury County’s finest shops.
For Kids – Shop local toys, books, and activities that will light up the faces of your little ones this holiday season.
Plan an Experience – Looking for a memorable gift? Plan a local experience, perfect for creating lasting memories.
Where to Eat – Explore Maury County’s best local eateries
Where to Relax – Treat yourself or someone special to a moment of relaxation with local spas and relaxation experiences.
Holiday Hours – Don’t miss out! Check out the holiday hours for all your favorite local businesses so you can plan your shopping accordingly.

 How You Can Be a Part of This Exciting First Year:
Download the Guide today and start your local holiday shopping!
Share the Guide with your family and friends and spread the word about this incredible initiative.

Download the guide by visiting www.mauryalliance.com.

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…
Audrey Jean Bywell, 92, resident of Culleoka, TN, passed away Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at her home surrounded by her family. 
Her family will gather for a small graveside service at Union Cemetery in Salem, Wisconsin. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com. 

And now, news from around the state…
Sen. Blackburn to Introduce DOGE Act (Tennessean)
President-elect Donald Trump tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency to find ways to cut the federal government.
Now, with the pair making the rounds on Capitol Hill in Washington to discuss “major reform ideas,” U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, announced she will introduce a bill to freeze federal hiring and begin consideration for relocating federal agencies out of the D.C. area.
On social media and in interview appearances, the duo have hinted plans for a 75% reduction in federal workforce, $2 trillion cut to federal spending, and eliminating some federal agencies entirely.
Blackburn announced in a social media post her plans to introduce a legislative package aimed at holding the federal government more accountable for managing taxpayer dollars before meeting Thursday with Musk and Ramaswamy.
“I will be introducing legislation that coincides with @DOGE’s plan to make the federal government more efficient,” Blackburn wrote. “My DOGE Act will freeze federal hiring, begin the process to relocate agencies out of the D.C. swamp, and establish a merit-based salary system for the federal workforce.”
"The DOGE Acts coincides with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s plan to make the federal government more efficient," the spokesperson said. "Specifically, these bills would cut discretionary spending, move federal agencies out of the swamp, freeze federal hiring and salaries for one year, begin the process of a merit-based compensation structure for federal employees, and require agencies to get employees back in the office.”
Blackburn will propose bills to cut discretionary spending by federal agencies by 1%, 2%, or 5%, with carve-outs for public safety and national security agencies to ensure their services are not impacted.
Separate legislation would put in place a federal hiring and salary freeze for one year, with a three-year cap on future hires. Public safety, national security, and public health services would be excluded from the measure.
Another bill would seek to establish a federal commission to report to Congress on the possibility of moving non-national security related agencies outside of the D.C. metropolitan area.
Also in the DOGE Acts package will be bills to establish a federal pilot program to create a merit-based compensation structure for civilian employees, and require executive agencies to submit reports on the impacts of expanded telework and remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic to submit to Congress.

Music City Bowl Set (Tennessean)
No. 20 Missouri and Iowa will play in the 2024 TransPerfect Music City Bowl.
The two teams will meet at Nissan Stadium on Dec. 30 (1:30 p.m. CT, ESPN). It will be the only bowl game played on that day.
It will be first time for Missouri to play in the Music City Bowl. Iowa defeated Kentucky 21-0 in the 2022 Music City Bowl.
Music City Bowl president and CEO Scott Ramsey said he always welcomes a first-time team like Missouri to play in the game.
"When you look at the SEC this year there were six teams that were 9-3 or 8-4," Ramsey said. "LSU, Missouri, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Alabama that were all in our bowl selection process. We liked the chance to get a top 20 team − 19th-ranked Missouri − first time here that wants to be here. It's a Monday game so fans can drive in over the weekend."

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
Warm up on chilly nights with performances from a diverse and dynamic lineup of musicians during the 2025 Winter Concert Series at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens.
For the third year, a trio of intimate performances will take place in Cheekwood’s elegant Massey Auditorium inside Botanic Hall. From Latin rhythms and jazz classics to New Orleans rhythm, blues and soul, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
The concerts are scheduled for 7 p.m. on January 25, February 14 and March 1, 2025.
“We are thrilled to welcome another stellar lineup of world-class musicians to Cheekwood,” said Mark Mason, Cheekwood’s Director of Music and Public Programs.
Music City Latin Orchestra | January 25 | 7 p.m.
Lisa Stewart and the Love Notes | February 14 | 7 p.m.
Crescent City Hoodoo All-Stars | March 1 | 7 p.m.
Tickets go on sale December 10. Tickets cost $35 for members and $45 for not-yet members. You can find them at www.cheekwood.org.