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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 November 7, 2024
All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Columbia Man Charged with Attempted Mass Destruction (MSM)
A Columbia, Tennessee man is facing federal charges after he allegedly attempted to use a weapon of mass destruction to attempt to destroy a Nashville energy facility, according to the Department of Justice.
Skyler Philippi, 24, allegedly told a confidential human source about his desire to commit a mass shooting at a YMCA facility in Columbia in June 2024. The DOJ explains that he also told another confidential human source about the impact of attacking large interstate substations and said that attacking several substations would “shock the system,” causing other substations to malfunction.
Philippi allegedly researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that shooting at them wouldn’t suffice. The DOJ added that he planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and fly the drone into the substation.
“As charged, Skyler Philippi believed he was moments away from launching an attack on a Nashville energy facility to further his violent white supremacist ideology – but the FBI had already compromised his plot,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.
“As alleged in today’s charges, Skyler Philippi, a man dedicated to white supremacist ideology and the destruction of our critical infrastructure, planned to attack Nashville’s power grid using a drone carrying an explosive device. Thanks to brave work by the FBI, his scheme was thwarted,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
In September 2024, Philippi drove with undercover employees of the FBI to an electric substation previously researched and targeted by him and Philippi conducted reconnaissance of the substation. The DOJ alleges that while driving, he ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the undercover.
He later allegedly purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack. The DOJ said he contacted another confidential human source, “If you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis.”
Philippi also allegedly discussed operational security, including the need for disguises, the use of leather gloves, wearing shoes that are too big, the need to burn their clothes after the attack and not bringing smartphones on the night of the attack.
Then, on Nov. 2, 2024, he participated in a Nordic ritual, which included reciting a Nordic prayer and discussing the Norse god Odin. Philippi allegedly told the undercover that “this is where the New Age begins” and that it was “time to do something big” that would be remembered “in the annals of history.”
The DOJ explained he and the undercovers then drove to the operation site. The undercovers moved to their assigned positions as lookouts for Philippi. That’s when he was taken into custody by law enforcement officers.
As he was arrested, the DOJ alleged he was at the rear of a vehicle with the drone powered up and the explosive device was armed and located next to the drone. Philippi is charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted destruction of an energy facility. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Mt. Pleasant Caregiver Charged With Abuse (MSM)
Special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division have obtained an indictment for a Nashville woman accused of assaulting a vulnerable adult in her care.
On Jan. 12, 2024, after receiving a referral from Adult Protective Services, TBI agents opened an investigation into an incident, a week prior, involving Janice Marie Garrett, 64, who worked as a caregiver at a residential facility in Mount Pleasant. The investigation revealed that Garrett allegedly physically abused a vulnerable adult in her care.
On June 11, the Maury County Grand Jury returned an indictment, charging Garrett with one count of Abuse of an Elderly or Vulnerable Adult. On Monday, Oct. 28, Garrett surrendered to authorities at the Maury County Jail, where authorities booked her into jail on $20,000 bond. No court date has been set.
101 Year Old WWII Vet To Lead Parade (MSM)
Claude Hillenbrand, a 101-year-old Army Air Corps veteran of the Second World War, will serve as grand marshal for the Veterans’ Day Parade. Hillenbrand, who now lives at the Morning Pointe assisted-living facility in Spring Hill, served as a gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and flew on 35 missions in the European Theater. His memorable missions included his plane being hit (thought not shot down) over Berlin and Munich, the preliminary bombing that enabled the D-Day invasion, and the liberation of Paris.
After he left the Air Force, Claude worked as a L&N Railroad brakeman and then drove a tractor trailer. He was married to his first wife, Mae, for 52 years and his second wife, Barbara, for 18, until each of their deaths. He belongs to the veterans of the 457th Bombing Group, of which, he is only one of three surviving members.
Hillenbrand was chosen to lead the parade by the Maury County Veterans Services office, at the suggestion of Morley Levine. It won’t be his first public appearance: Hillenbrand was a guest of honor at the Grand Ole Opry earlier in the year, and he was grand marshal at the Franklin Veterans’ Day parade in 2023, where he was accompanied by his son John, a Vietnam War veteran.
“I guess it’s quite an honor,” he said.
Heather McCarl, who works at Morning Pointe, thinks the honor is only what Hillenbrand and his fellow WWII vets deserve.
“I feel it is our generation’s responsibility to… recognize them,” she said.
Hillenbrand doesn’t see himself as very special, compared to the soldiers who waged the ground assault during D-Day and especially the ones that died.
“I just hope no one thinks I’m bragging about any part of it,” he said. “I wish I could honor the men that gave their lives, more so than the ones that [came] back alive. There’s no way we can ever thank them. All we should do is honor their families.”
Hillenbrand sees his service as simply the right thing to have done, and among veterans he isn’t alone. A journalist once asked him why he enlisted; when he answered, “It was just the thing to do,” she told him that all the veterans to whom she had spoken had said the same thing.
Columbia Mall Plan (MSM)
The former Columbia Mall, on South James Campbell Boulevard, has been closed for a decade or more. The Hull Property Group made a buzz in late 2020 when they made arrangements with Columbia’s Industrial Development Board (IDB) to develop the site by tearing down some of the buildings and renovating others. However, work on the site seems to have come to a stop, and rumors swirled as it remained empty with no clients moving in.
City Manager Tony Massey acknowledged the “buzz” about the closed mall and explained that Hull Property Group has a 12-year PILOT agreement (short for “payment in lieu of taxes”) with the city’s IDB. In a PILOT agreement, paper ownership of the facility belongs to the IDB, which is reflected in the paperwork on file with the state, while the property development group works to develop it.
The PILOT agreement allows Hull to pay a flat fee to the city every year instead of property taxes. Normally these taxes would increase each year as Hull adds value by developing the site. The PILOT prevents them from being effectively penalized for developing it, especially while the work is still ongoing and they can’t yet find clients for the spaces.
Hull and the IDB have been working with the consultant site Retail Strategies to find buyers for the commercial spaces.
“Once we tore it down and built a much better site, we started to have some interest,” said Massey.
The city doesn’t intend to publicize any details of dealings or transactions with possible buyers until one has made a commitment, but officials said they intend to inform the public when it happens.
City of Columbia to Unveil New Sculptures (Press Release)
The City of Columbia is excited to announce the unveiling of two new sculptures in the heart of the Columbia Arts District. This special event will showcase the talents of local artists Kevin Hale and Joseph Hazelwood. The unveiling will take place on Wednesday, November 13, at 3:00 PM in the Columbia Arts District. The event will begin with a brief ceremony and an introduction of the artists, followed by the unveiling of all three sculptures. The community is invited to celebrate these additions to the landscape of our local Arts District.
The unveiling will take place on November 13th at 3:00pm on the corner of S. Garden and 11th Streets in the Columbia Arts District.
Ragan Ridge Subdivision Deferred (MSM)
A preliminary plat for the controversial Ragen Ridge Estates subdivision in Spring Hill was the subject of much debate during the Oct. 28 meeting of the Maury Regional Planning Commission.
The concept plan had received approval in July 2024 from the Planning Commission by a 5-2 vote. The preliminary site plan shows roughly 293 single-family lots on just over 293 acres on Ragen Road.
Ultimately the Planning Commission deferred consideration of the plat until its November meeting to allow for developers to respond to questions from commissioners and planning staff.
Maury planning staff noted that among the required roadway improvements would be having the intersection of Greens Mill Road and Ragen Road be an unsignaled all-way stop with a southbound left turn on Greens Mill Road, widening Greens Mill Road to include 11-foot lanes and six-foot shoulders along with improving Ragen Road to collector road standards, which would be the responsibility of the developer.
Commissioner Peder Jensen, noting that he is a volunteer firefighter, said he did not believe the proposed road improvements, especially the intersection of Greens Mill and Ragen, were safe enough.
“I have a feeling we’re going to be working a lot of deaths at this intersection. I don’t like this intersection, I don’t think it’s safe… People coming around that curve won’t know there’s a stop sign there… We’re going to be setting ourselves up for failure here,” Jensen said.
Commissioner David Horwath asked about the acquisition of right of way for Ragen Road and was told the developer has committed to that process, rather than the county having to do so.
Attorney Tom White, representing the developer, pointed out that under state law, if the project meets the Planning Commission’s conditions and fits the zoning of the property, “the law is relatively clear… you’re obligated to approve it.”
Members of the public speaking in opposition shared a number of concerns, including traffic, the fact that Spring Hill has previously denied access to the project from Kedron Road and the effect on neighboring properties.
“This feels like a really large square peg being stuffed into a small round hole… I’m confused how this concept plan was approved when it was clearly stated without the Kedron Road section, it would not be,” said Troy Outman.
Alan Mitchell asked about the availability of water to the project, saying that Spring Hill has already limited the ability of homeowners to water their lawns to one day a week. The applicants did present a letter from Maury County Water stating there was enough water access.
“I think we need to know the answer before we approve large additions,” Mitchell said.
Aaron Bennett said he didn’t see how the developer had met all the requirements for approval, saying, “They were told to seek approval from the City of Spring Hill and weren’t able to do that, then they were told to seek approval from the residents around the area… and it doesn’t appear they’ve done that either.”
Bennett also noted a planned subdivision on the other end of Greens Mill Road and a Publix grocery store that would add even more traffic to the area.
Dawn Rogge noted that developers had not yet acquired the right of way to expand Ragen Road, saying, “If the developer wants this project so bad, they will pay the people whose land they want to take.”
Lori Tallman, a teacher with Maury County Public Schools, noted that two school bus stops for the new Battle Creek schools are on Ragen Road, which already causes traffic issues.
Planners also approved an amendment to the county’s subdivision regulations, adding that a traffic study will be required along with defining any necessary road improvements prior to the submission of a preliminary plat to the Planning Commission.
Spring Hill HS Veteran’s Day Program (MSM)
Maj. Douglas Harter will be the keynote speaker at the annual Spring Hill High School Veterans Day program. Harter is the Executive Officer for the Regimental Support Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee Army National Guard in Columbia. He served as an enlisted infantryman in the United States Marine Corps from 1991-95 and has served in numerous leadership positions in the Tennessee Army National Guard prior to his current appointment.
Harter’s many awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2), Army Achievement Medal (4), Marine Good Conduct Medal, and National Defense Service Medal (2), among others.
The school’s Army JROTC color guard will present the colors and the award-winning SHHS Band will perform. The SHHS Choir will sing “In Flanders Fields,” based on the poem by Maj. John McCrae, M.D. Veterans will be honored and remembered.
The program will take place in the school’s gymnasium at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Veterans and the general public are invited to attend.
Dollar General Not Welcome in Spring Hill (CDH)
Dollar General is looking to open its latest location in Spring Hill not far from the Tennessee Children’s Home, and local residents are not pleased.
The proposed Dollar General’s concept plan was brought before Spring Hill’s Municipal Planning Commission last week for discussion, which drew a large crowd of concerned citizens, all speaking out against the value grocery chain, which would be located off rural, winding Beechcroft Road near Dr. Robertson Road.
“I have to say ‘No’ to the Dollar General,” Sue Hoffman, who moved to Spring Hill in 1993, said. “I live one block west of Dr. Robertson, and so when we walk down our street it’s going to be there. We just don’t need a Dollar General.”
Much of the concerns centered around traffic, crime, as well as the quality of products Dollar General sells, such as processed foods.
“I would speak for the community in saying the last thing we want is a Dollar General selling nonliving, unfresh and processed, corporate ... artificial, I can’t even call it food,” claimed Emily Allen, who along with her husband Daniel, own neighboring Allenbrooke Farms.
Another concern is whether Dollar General presents a good fit for the area, and if it would likely generate enough business to remain open.
Allen also cited the high prevalence of Dollar General locations in the area, approximately 20, from Maury County to Chapel Hill.
Monty Turner, a developer for Dollar General, addressed some of the issues presented by the public comments, first regarding the aforementioned closures the company reports.
“Back in ‘05 or ‘06, I built the first Dollar General in Spring Hill on Port Royal, and it is still open,” Turner said. “We did recently, about four or five years ago, build another on the other end of Port Royal across Saturn Parkway, and obviously that’s still open. Those are the only two in the city of Spring Hill.”
Regarding traffic concerns, Turner said Dollar General typically aims to attract primarily residents already in the area.
“We won’t attract traffic from 4-5 miles away. It’s typically vehicles already traversing Beechcroft,” Turner said. “Delivery trucks will not have to access Dr. Robertson. We’ll use the entrance that’s already there and will be shared with the storage facility.”
Allison Corolla of T-Square Engineering added that a full traffic impact study will be conducted prior to the item’s site plan application.
When discussion came back to the planning commission, Alderman Matt Fitterer said the public would “likely find no differing opinions up here,” although Dollar General has a right to pursue approval. The planning commission’s role is simply to determine if it was done correctly.
“I think from what you’ve heard over the last hour, you are not a very welcome development, at least from the neighbors,” Fitterer told Turner, which was met with applause. “The planning commission’s job is to review the project, whether or not it adheres to adopted city code. This is not a review on whether we endorse or support the project in any way.”
The planning commission’s main concern is that not enough information, such as building materials, elevation levels and the yet-to-be-determined traffic study, was presented by the applicant.
“Obviously, there is still a lot of leg work to determine how those things fit into the site as well,” Alderman Trent Linnville said.
Since this was a discussion item, no votes were taken regarding Dollar General.
Breakfast with the Mayors (Press Release)
Join Maury Alliance on November 19th at 8:30am at the Memorial Building located at 308 W. 7th Street in Columbia for their annual Breakfast with the Mayors event. Sponsored by John Maher Builders and Fairfield by Marriott of Columbia, learn about what is happening in your community directly from the mayors. County Mayor Sheila Butt, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, Spring Hill Mayor Jim Hagaman, and Mt. Pleasant Mayor Bill White will be on hand to talk about their communities and answer questions. Admission is $25 for Maury Alliance Members and $30 for non-members. You must register by November 12th. You can do so by visiting www.mauryalliance.com.
And now, news from around the state…
School Vouchers (Tennessean)
A new fight over school choice is already brewing, as Republican leaders on Wednesday filed a new proposal to offer publicly funded vouchers for 20,000 Tennessee students to attend private schools.
With core elements similar to unsuccessful proposals in the House and Senate last year, the newly filed Education Freedom Act of 2025 would offer 20,000 vouchers worth about $7,000 each in taxpayer funds to students statewide to attend private schools, while guaranteeing state funding to make up any gaps school districts could see from enrollment drops, offering a one-time $2,000 bonus to every teacher in the state, and establishing a new state funding source for school building construction and maintenance.
If approved, the program would take effect immediately, making use of $144 million in funding allocated in this year's state budget specifically for a statewide school voucher program.
After House and Senate leaders came to an impasse this spring over a school choice plan, the governor and Republican legislative leadership now seem remarkably on the same page. Identical versions of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 were filed in both chambers just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, less than 14 hours after polls closed Tuesday.
“This legislation leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing the very best educational path to set the next generation up for success,” Lamberth said in a statement. “Public schools are the foundation of our educational system, and they’ll continue to be the option of choice for most families. This bill empowers parents — not the government — to make decisions about the unique needs and diverse interests of their children. Our students deserve no less.”
Democrats ― who have stringently opposed and campaigned against vouchers, deeming the proposal "a scam" ― immediately rejected the new bill.
House Minority Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, called the new bill the "same scam, different language." House Democrats last session unanimously opposed Lee's first plan. Although they have yet to take a formal vote on the newly filed legislation, it's likely they will oppose it.
Clemmons was sharply critical of the new bill, particularly the one-time teacher bonuses he said should be given to educators without strings attached, in addition to more significant pay raises.
"It's offensive that he's trying to attach teacher bonuses and school construction funds that are badly needed to this scam," Clemmons said. "We all knew the governor's voucher scam would resurface in one form or another. Bill and Republicans have made too many promises to special interest groups and education privatization donors to walk away from it after we beat him last year."
Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
Get outside with Tennessee State Parks on Black Friday, November 29, 2024, for a post-holiday hike.
The Tennessee State Parks offers guided hikes for all ages and abilities, ranging from easy, peaceful strolls to rugged ramblings. Whether you’re eager to join a guided hike or embark on a self-guided adventure, the parks have something for everyone.
Nearby hikes include:
Narrows of the Harpeth
9am – 10:30am
Meet at: 1254 Narrows of the Harpeth Rd, Kingston Springs
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
1pm – 2:30pm
Begins at Visitors Center, corner of 6th Ave N and Harrison St
Bledsoe Creek State Park
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Meet at: Visitor Center Back Porch
400 Zieglers Fort Rd, Gallatin
Dunbar Cave State Park
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
401 Old Dunbar Cave Rd, Clarksville
Learn more by visiting www.tnstateparks.com