Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 8-6-24

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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 August 6, 2024

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Suspects Sought (MauryCountySource)
The Hohenwald Police Department and Lewis County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help in locating a vehicle involved in a pursuit on August 1st in Lewis County where the car swerved into an oncoming lane occupied by a police vehicle, causing the police vehicle to make an evasive turn to avoid being hit.
The car was blue but has since been painted black. The vehicle has a license plate of Alabama KSA002. The car is a Mercedes C-43 four-door sedan that has a small American flag on the driver’s side of the back window.
The driver of the vehicle is a white male. The car has been seen on camera in the Spring Hill/Columbia in the last several days.
Please immediately contact your local law enforcement agency if you see this vehicle. If you see this vehicle in Spring Hill, please contact dispatch at 931-486-2632.

Former Fire Chief Can Contest Termination (MSM)
Former Columbia Fire Chief Ty Cobb is entitled to contest his termination before the city’s Civil Service Board, according to a court ruling issued last week.
Judge David Allen issued his ruling on Aug. 2, stating “…the municipal code specifically and unambiguously states that the fire chief is entitled to a civil service hearing upon termination.”
“The code states that a department of public safety ‘shall’ be created. The Respondent clearly failed or refused to follow this requirement and uses its failure to do so as a basis for arguing that Respondent should be denied a civil service hearing because Respondent was acting as a or the department head in the absence of the Respondent creating this position or department,” the ruling goes on to state.
Allen’s ruling also stated that Cobb, who joined the department in 2000 before becoming chief in 2017, had never received any notice that his civil service status had changed.
Columbia’s municipal code requires the appointment of a Director of Public Safety, who is to act as a supervisor for the fire chief and police chief. However, according to the ruling, City Manager Tony Massey testified that there had never been such an appointment. Allen’s ruling stated that in effect, Massey himself served in that capacity
Cobb was terminated as chief of Columbia Fire & Rescue on March 12. In the letter of termination, Massey stated allegations that included “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” and “a message offering to pay for favorable news stories which would benefit your interest.”
Cobb officially requested a civil service hearing by email on March 15. He served a 30-day suspension in late October 2023 and most of November. At the time, a memorandum from Massey to Cobb cited “insubordination” and added that Cobb would be on probation for a period of one year after the suspension.
The suspension was announced shortly after Cobb requested that the City of Columbia launch an internal investigation into the city’s response to the May 3, 2023 Central High School shooting hoax. In that request, Cobb cited concern for the safety of his employees.
Whether the city will appeal the ruling was not immediately known.
“We are surprised and disappointed with this decision. The City is evaluating its options,” Massey said in an email to Main Street Maury.

New Sculptures to Be Unveiled (Press Release)
The City of Columbia is excited to announce the unveiling of three
sculptures in the heart of the Columbia Arts District. This special event will showcase the talents of local artists Whitney Herrington, Rommel Ricaurte, and his sons Nicholas and Cory Ricaurte. The unveiling will
take place on Friday, August 9, 2024, at 4:00 PM at Firefighters Park, situated at the gateway to the Arts District at 1000 South Garden Street in Columbia. 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 join the city in celebrating these additions to the landscape of Columbia’s Arts District.

MRMC Recognized for Joint Replacement (Press Release)
Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) earned recognition in 2024 as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Outpatient Joint Replacement and was an Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ recipient from Healthgrades®, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor. Maury Regional Medical Center was also recognized by Healthgrades as the #1 orthopedic surgery program in Tennessee for 2024.
These achievements reflect Maury Regional Medical Center’s dedication to clinical excellence and distinguishes the medical center as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for outpatient joint replacement and orthopedic surgery. 
“Maury Regional Medical Center has a growing orthopedic service line whose surgeons are committed to utilizing best practice treatment methods, resulting in optimal outcomes for our patients,” said Maury Regional Health CEO Martin Chaney, MD. “This recognition is the culmination of the leadership and exemplary care demonstrated by the orthopedic surgeons of Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance Columbia as well as our surgical and physical therapy teams.”
To identify the top-performing hospitals for outpatient joint replacement, Healthgrades analyzed patient outcomes at short-term acute care facilities nationwide that offer knee and hip replacement in an outpatient environment. Healthgrades’ analysis found that patients treated at hospitals that have been recognized for excellence in outpatient joint replacement — like Maury Regional Medical Center — have a demonstrably better chance at a smooth recovery than those treated at hospitals that were not recognized by Healthgrades. In fact, between 2020 and 2022, patients treated at hospitals receiving the awards for America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Outpatient Joint Replacement and Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence had, on average, a 5 or 10%, respectively, lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated at hospitals that did not receive the award.*  
In addition to these awards, Maury Regional Medical Center also received recognition from Healthgrades for 2024 as one of America’s 100 Best Orthopedic Surgery Programs, Total Knee Replacement Five-Star Recipient Award, Joint Replacement Excellence Award, Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award and Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award. The medical center was also recently recognized as the only hospital in Tennessee to receive Healthgrades’  Patient Safety Excellence Award™ and Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for 2024.
“These accolades, including awards such as the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award and Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award, highlight our dedication to providing superior patient outcomes and innovative orthopedic care,” said orthopedic surgeon Dr. Cason Shirley, MD. “By consistently delivering high standards of clinical excellence, we have established ourselves as pioneers in the field of orthopedic health care.”
Surgeons on Maury Regional Health’s medical staff performing joint replacements are affiliated with Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance Columbia. The practice consists of 12 physicians, with specialties that include knee, hip, foot, ankle, hand, shoulder, spine and elbow surgeries as well as interventional pain management and sports medicine.
In May 2024, Maury Regional Health held a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of the new Orthopedic Surgical Institute on the campus of Maury Regional Medical Center. The project consists of a 34,040-sq.-ft. expansion to the northeast side of the existing Pavilion from the ground level to the fourth floor. The ground level will contain a new sterilization and surgical supply unit, while the first floor will contain four operating suites, with two additional shelled areas that can be equipped as surgical suites, and two procedure rooms. Among the technology available in the Orthopedic Surgical Institute will be the Mako robotic-assisted platform used for knee and hip replacement, the INHANCETM Shoulder System from DePuy Synthes for shoulder arthroplasty procedures, the Infinity Total Ankle System from Stryker for non-fusion total ankle replacements and the 7D Surgical FlashTM Navigation System for spinal procedures. The remaining floors will provide shelled space for future expansion. The expansion is expected to be complete in less than two years.
“Maury Regional Medical Center exemplifies what it means to be a leader in outpatient orthopedics by delivering consistently superior outcomes across key outpatient procedures,” said Dr. Brad Bowman, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades. “Patients undergoing outpatient joint replacement at Maury Regional Medical Center should feel confident in their decision to seek care from a facility with top marks in their procedure.”
As outpatient surgical volumes continue to grow, Healthgrades is proud to offer the industry’s only outcomes-based outpatient ratings to help patients identify the best care for their needs. Consumers can visit Healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality.
For more information about Maury Regional Health’s orthopedic services or to find an orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff, visit MauryRegional.com/Orthopedics.

Applications Open (Press Release)
Applications for the 2024-25 Columbia Mayor’s Youth Council (CMYC) term will open on August 1st. The CMYC is open to all high school students located within Maury County, including those attending public, private, and home schools. The 2024-25 term will begin in September 2024 and conclude in May 2025.
Mayor Chaz Molder stated, “The Columbia Mayor’s Youth Council is an excellent opportunity for our young people to gain firsthand experience in local government and develop their leadership skills. By participating in CMYC, students will not only learn about the inner workings of our city but also have the chance to make a real impact on their community. I strongly encourage all eligible students to apply and be part of this incredible educational experience.”
The CMYC aims to educate students about local government, foster leadership skills, and encourage community involvement among Columbia’s diverse high school population. The CMYC is composed of Maury County high school students who value academic excellence, community involvement, and leadership. Selected students will have an opportunity to actively participate in various activities and programs, addressing issues affecting youth and the community, leading and volunteering in community projects, and learning about city departments.
The CMYC selection committee will review all completed applications to select this year’s youth council members. Applications will be open from now through August 23rd, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance by September 3rd. CMYC meetings will be held monthly, in addition to community and volunteer projects.
CMYC applications can be found on the City of Columbia’s website at columbiatn.gov or at your high school’s administrative office. Follow the Columbia Mayor’s Youth Council on Facebook and Instagram at @cmyctn. For questions, please contact Hanna Miller at [e-mail] or [phone].

Columbia 101 (Press Release)
The City of Columbia is pleased to announce the launch of Columbia 101, an innovative program designed to engage residents with local government and community services. Participants in Columbia 101 will have the unique opportunity to interact closely with city officials and staff, gaining firsthand knowledge of how municipal services are delivered and learning about avenues for community involvement and advocacy.
This consecutive two-day program will be open to all City of Columbia and Maury County residents and offered twice per year, with the official kick-off occurring on September 17th and September 18th. Participants can expect to begin each day at City Hall before learning more about all 12 city departments and touring select city facilities, such as the Fire & Rescue and Public Works Departments.
Applications for Columbia 101 are available now and will close on Friday, August 9th at 4:00 pm. Learn more and apply today at https://www.columbiatn.com

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…   

Janice Anita Polk Goodgine, 74, retired employee of South Central Bell, and resident of Columbia, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, August 1, 2024 at Maury Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Sparkman Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Charles David “Charlie” Workman, 78, resident of Culleoka passed away peacefully surrounded by his family Sunday, August 4, 2024 at Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, August 9, 2024 at 10:00 AM at South Gate Church of Christ. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Thursday, August 8, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at South Gate Church of Christ. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Now, news from around the state…
Belmont Medical School Hold White Coat Ceremony (Tennessean)
Belmont University's inaugural class of medical students received their white coats Friday, officially launching Nashville's third medical school and the sixth in Tennessee.
"Belmont is a university with a lot of positive momentum, and the Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine is the latest step in our incredible trajectory,” University President Greg Jones said in a statement. “Our vision is to blend tradition with innovation, understanding that the best innovation happens when it's deeply embedded in tradition."
The medical school has been years in the making. Back in 2020, Belmont announced its plans to seek accreditation for a medical school in partnership with Nashville-based HCA Healthcare, which is one of the largest healthcare companies in the country and has a long history of supporting Belmont.
The school is named after HCA cofounder Thomas Frist. Also a founder of HCA, Jack Massey was a major donor to the university, and the College of Business bears his name.
50 aspiring physicians make up Belmont's medical class, with a median MCAT score of 509 and a median GPA of 3.64. Among the class members is Columbian Samuel Whatley, the son of Jason and Lauren Whatley.
Now, Nashville is home to one of the newest medical schools in the country and two of the oldest. Vanderbilt University's School of Medicine was incorporated in 1874, and the predecessor to Meharry Medical College became the first Black medical school in the South in 1876.
Jones said the Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine aims to set itself apart with a "deep commitment to patient care" and cutting-edge skills.
Among the inaugural class, 54% of students are female, and 46% are male, ranging from 21 to 38 years old. There are four first-generation college students, two veterans and four students who received "rural community scholarships" and plan to practice in rural areas upon graduation.
Dr. Anderson Spickard will lead the school as dean of the Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine.
“We are committed to providing you with the skills, knowledge, experiences and resources to become extraordinary physicians," Spickard said in a statement. "This is a historic moment, and you are a part of it, shaping the legacy of this institution for generations to come." 

DEI and ESG Declining in Corporate World (Tennessean)
Some Tennessee corporations are backing off commitments to social-change policies following costly boycotts that have many questioning the way forward.
Corporate America adopted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs to help improve society's ills following widespread U.S. racial turmoil in 2020 and concerns about pollution and preserving natural resources.
Four years later, in the wake of public outcries in Tennessee and elsewhere against companies like Tractor Supply Co. and BlackRock taking on issues like climate change and racial equity, there has been a notable drop in social-change initiatives in corporate business models. 
“You see those organizations attempting to do something, at least in their mind, what they thought was the right thing to do. And now we see them certainly deprioritizing, or in some cases, even walking away from some of those initiatives because of social pressures,” said Jim Link, the Society of Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) chief human resources officer.
From June 2022 to June 2023, ESG-related jobs grew by 3.1% in Tennessee and 10.9% nationwide, according to analysis by Live Data Technologies Director of Growth Jason Saltzman. Live Data Technologies scours search engines for real-time information on job changes.
That rise in popularity reversed course this year.
In the past 12 months, the number of Tennessee workers with jobs tied explicitly to ESG priorities has decreased by 2.3%, compared to a 0.8% decrease nationwide, Saltzman said.
The trending decline of social and environmental priorities in the workplace is reflected in the amount of available DEI roles. There was an uptick in job postings for DEI professionals in 2020 and 2021, but according to research from Link, SHRM's human-resources chief, there has been a decline since then in those roles and in overall prioritization of DEI jobs and policies.
About half of employees reported that DEI is not a priority or is a low priority at their companies — up from 39% one year before, a 2013 SHRM survey found.
What's driving companies to rethink these programs? 
For one, a dispute about whether the initiatives help or hurt the value of a business.
Many shareholders who invest in specific companies because they believe the corporation is well-run and maximizes profits oppose investment in unrelated social programs. They believe it distracts from the company's commitment to its core products and services.
Some conservative activists and shareholders say DEI policies force social values and invite politics into the workplace without delivering significant returns.
Supporters say these programs actually enhance corporate value and benefit the bottom line by deepening employee and customer loyalties, improving marketing efforts and increasing long-range planning.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
The Grand Ole Opry House announces tickets are on sale NOW for the 2024 “People’s Choice Country Awards” on September 26. Hosted by multiple award-winning Global Icon Shania Twain, the two-hour 2024 “People’s Choice Country Awards” will air live at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock from the world-famous Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

Last year’s inaugural show, hosted by Opry members Little Big Town, recognized the biggest and best country music has to offer chosen entirely by the fans across various categories. Throughout the night, Toby Keith and Wynonna Judd were honored with Icon awards and star-studded performances included Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Toby Keith and Wynonna Judd.
Tickets are available at opry.com or by calling (615) 871-OPRY.