Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 11-15-24

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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.

City of Columbia's motion to block civil trial for fire chief postponed (Daily Herald)

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.

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 Barton E. Kelley 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.

The attorney representing the City, 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.

Mount Pleasant to Host “Very Pleasant Christmas” Tree Lighting Event on November 30

Mount Pleasant Main Street invites everyone to kick off the holiday season at the annual “Very Pleasant Christmas” Tree Lighting on Saturday, November 30th in Downtown Mount Pleasant.

This festive, family-friendly event will feature holiday activities, food trucks, a kid zone, and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus himself.

The evening begins at 4:00 PM, welcoming guests of all ages to come together and celebrate. The Kid Zone, generously sponsored by the Maury County Visitors Bureau, will offer activities and surprises designed to enchant children and spread holiday cheer. Attendees can also enjoy a wide variety of delicious options in the Food Truck Zone, sponsored by TriStar Bank, where local vendors will serve up everything from seasonal treats to savory bites.

Highlighting the evening will be the grand lighting of Mount Pleasant’s community Christmas tree, set to take place at 6:00 PM. This annual tradition brings neighbors and friends together under the glow of the lights, creating a magical setting for the holiday season.

“Mount Pleasant’s tree lighting is more than just an event; it’s a cherished tradition that brings our community together to celebrate the joy and spirit of Christmas,” said Haverly Pennington, Director of Main Street. “We’re thrilled to welcome everyone, especially our youngest guests who can visit Santa and join in the holiday fun.”

Family Center, Maury Regional Health Care Foundation provide medication assistance (Press Release)

For more than 15 years, the Maury Regional Health Care Foundation has partnered with The Family Center to provide critical support to individuals and families in need of medication assistance to treat illnesses like diabetes, viral infections and others, improving the health outcomes and quality of life of Maury County residents.
The Family Center’s medication assistance program — with support of the Foundation — is designed to support low-income individuals who may struggle to afford their prescriptions. By covering essential medication costs, The Family Center helps community members receive the care they need, without the financial burden.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Maury Regional Health Care Foundation,” said Dawn Taylor, executive director of The Family Center. “Their support has been invaluable in sustaining our medication assistance program. Many of our clients face difficult choices between paying for their prescriptions or other basic needs, and this program provides them with the relief they need to be stable and healthy.”
To participate in the medication assistance program, individuals or families can apply through The Family Center. If approved, they will then transfer their prescriptions to a designated pharmacy located in Columbia, where their prescriptions will be filled. This streamlined approach allows participants to focus on their health while the organization covers the cost of their essential prescriptions. This does not cover narcotics or painkillers and has an annual limit of $250.
“The Family Center’s dedication to meeting the health and well-being needs of our community aligns with our mission,” said Patrick Harlan of the Maury Regional Health Care Foundation. “By supporting their medication assistance program, we’re helping our community stay healthy and prevent or manage serious illnesses.”
Founded in 1994, The Family Center is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. They are a longstanding nonprofit that takes a holistic approach to supporting their community, aiming to enhance stability and health. Over the years, it has evolved into a multi-faceted organization addressing various community needs, especially during times of economic hardship and in support of children and the unhoused population. In addition to medication assistance, they offer a variety of programs that range from providing financial support for rent or utilities and assistance with food, eyeglasses and more.
Fall marks a busy season for The Family Center. In 2023, they provided 141 backpacks with school supplies to children in Maury County, 807 turkeys for households for Thanksgiving and gifts for 1,236 children for the holidays through a program called Santa’s Workshop. In 2024, that number is expected to grow.
To learn more about The Family Center and how you can support their programs, including volunteering, visit FamilyCenter.org/Programs or call )931) 388-3840.
The Maury Regional Health Care Foundation works to expand health care services and community outreach programs throughout southern Middle Tennessee. Thanks to the generous support of donors, the Foundation has provided more than $5.1 million in programs and services throughout the region since its formation in 2006.
To learn more about the Maury Regional Health Care Foundation and how you can support their programs like medication assistance, visit MauryRegional.com/Foundation.
Maury County's unfinished Ag Center draws fire from commissioner (Main Street Maury)
The unfinished portion of Maury County’s new Ag Center drew criticism from at least one member of the Building Committee during the group’s Nov. 4 meeting.
The $2.9 million facility, located in Columbia’s Yanahli Park, broke ground in May 2023 but has yet to be utilized. It is intended to serve as both an event center and as new offices for Maury County’s UT Agricultural Extension office.
Commissioners noted that the parking lot has yet to be paved, making the building unusable for the moment. Owner-advocate Hewlett Spencer, which has overseen construction, also drew criticism for what was called a failure to live up to its obligations on the Ag Center project.
Commissioner Ray Jeter cited a resolution from July 2022 that approved the guaranteed maximum price, saying, “In the disbursement agreement, it states that Hewlett Spencer will act as the turnkey developer for this project… A turnkey contract is where a contractor is responsible for the entire project from start to finish.”
Jeter added that if the Highway Department were asked to pave the lot, it would add expense to the overall cost.
“We’ve hired this company to provide a turnkey project,a guaranteed maximum price, and I expect to get what we’ve paid for,” he said. “I expect you to do what you’ve been contracted to do, and that is finish this building at no additional cost to the county.”
Steve Hewlett, president of Hewlett Spencer, did say the site should be paved by the committee’s next meeting. However, when asked by Jeter who would do the paving, Hewlett said he did not have an answer to that.
Commissioner Kevin Markham said, “Where we are failing is we didn't come back to the Commission when we moved it and ask for that money then… In a hard-bid project, there would have been a change order right then.”
Markham added that there could be enough funding remaining in the project to cover the paving cost, but that no one knew yet. He also said “some misinformation” on social media had incited the public “on a process that’s not finished.”
Commissioner Eric Previti said he felt that “Hewlett Spencer is being put on trial for an event that has not happened yet,” adding that a Certificate of Occupancy could not be issued because the building was not yet finished, not because of the lack of paving.
“The building’s not even finished yet and you’re not going to get a CO until it’s finished,” Previti said.
Hewlett also noted that the Parks Board had asked to relocate the building from its original planned site.
“On this building, when we first started it, it was at a different location than it is now. The plans weren’t even fully completed when we gave you the guaranteed maximum price,” Hewlett said. “What’s happened here is that in the moving of the building, there were a lot of mixed considerations about saving money. The site they wanted to move to had an additional $200,000 or more of additional site cost. We started looking at where can we save money.”
Hewlett said commissioners had thrown “a curveball” into the construction process by asking “questions that we’ve never been asked to answer before in any county we’ve worked in.”
No action was taken on the Ag Center, with chairman Gabe Howard saying he wasn’t sure what any motion could have entailed since the project was still under construction.
Commissioners also received an update on the new archives building, with Hewlett saying “everything is moving forward.” Hewlett said replacing a broken elevator was one of the major items remaining and that he had not heard from the company on a timeframe.
County Archivist Tom Price said a number of non-document items had already been moved, such as furniture and shelving. He said most of the documents would be moved in the coming days.
“I don’t want to move any of our documents until all the work is done,” Price said. “We have enough ingress into the building that we can work around the (elevator)... I’m incredibly proud of how this all came together.”
Regarding the $1.5 million Culleoka Park project, Parks Director Al Ray said Hewlett Spencer had provided a guaranteed maximum price within budget and that would leave some funds for the playground portion. Half of the project funds are from a grant with the county providing the other half.
Commissioners voted to advance the project to the Budget Committee at its Nov. 12 meeting.
The committee also discussed Fire Stations 27 (Pottsville) and 30 (Lasea Road). Architect Jim Sloan said the Pottsville site had challenges including an overhead power line that would need to be moved and that TDOT would have to be consulted on an entrance to the facility. He added that “a very preliminary range of numbers” looked at an entirely new building. Sloan estimated a cost of $4.5 to $6.8 million for Pottsville.
Markham noted that $6.8 million was around three times the cost of the last fire station built and said that might raise concerns.
Regarding Lasea, Sloan said the current building could be upgraded or a new station built, but that because of building sleeping facilities, an addition would be more costly per square foot despite being an overall lower cost than a new building. A residential addition was estimated at up to $1.6 to $2.58 million.
When any decisions might be made regarding either fire station was not immediately known.
Groundbreaking Set for Maury Regional Health Park (Main Street Media)
A groundbreaking ceremony has been scheduled for Nov. 21 for a new Maury Regional Health Center Health park in Lawrence County.
Maury Regional purchased 14.8 acres of property on Highway 43 North in February. Current plans are to use 6.4 acres to construct a three-story, 60,000 square foot facility across from the FedEx Distribution Center, near the Lawrenceburg/Ethridge border.
Once the $24 million project is completed, the facility will house Maury Medical Group physicians and providers along with imaging, physical therapy, pharmacy, occupational health and a sleep center. Others in the medical community have expressed interest in leasing space there, as well.
MRHC began looking at expanding into Lawrence County due to the fact that its residents are the second highest receiving care through the facility, behind Maury County residents.
At this point, site preparation is underway. The project is headed up by architects Davis-Stokes in conjunction with Pellicano Construction.
In addition to the Lawrence County project, Maury Regional will see expansion at the main facility in Columbia. They plan to develop an Orthopedic Surgical Institute because of increased demand for joint replacements, expansion of their heart center, renovations to the emergency department, additional childbirth beds, and expansion and improvement of both the front entry and parking and thoroughfare areas.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Lawrence County health park is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Nov. 21. Construction is expected to take approximately one year.
Now it’s time for your hometown memorials, brought to you by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home
Matthew Corey Prince, age 45, employee for Mold Busters, and resident of Columbia, died Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at his residence.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, November 15 2024 at 1:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Jeff Kane officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Friday, November 15, 2024 from 11:00 AM till 1:00 P.M the time of service at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.
We take a look now at news from around the state that affects you…

The REAL ID deadline is in six months (Tennessean)

The REAL ID Act will go into effect on May 7, 2025, meaning that Tennesseans only have six months left to make sure their ID'S are REAL ID compliant.

The ID's are required for people 18 years old or older to enter certain federal buildings or board commercial flights within the United States. According to a statement from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, of the Volunteer State's 5.8 million valid credentials, 1.6 million are not currently REAL ID compliant.

The department is encouraging Tennesseans to decide whether to update their ID's before the implementation date to avoid the potential influx of customers to Driver Services Centers.

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety, the REAL ID Act of 2005 establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production. The act prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards.

A REAL ID compliant driver license is a credential that can be used for activities such as boarding a commercial domestic flight or entering certain federal facilities in addition to normal license or ID use.

The deadline to obtain a REAL ID is May 7, 2025, but obtaining a REAL ID is completely optional. It is not required for any other reason than to allow you to continue to fly domestically and access certain federal facilities. Non-REAL ID compliant driver licenses will still be accepted for operating motorized vehicles.

To apply for a REAL ID, you will need:

Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence
Proof of your Social Security Number
Two proofs of Tennessee residency
All documents must be original or certified, photocopies will not be accepted.

Superspeedway’s 2025 race times, two sponsors announced (Main Street Media)

NASCAR has announced the starting times for next season’s races at Nashville Superspeedway, with all three at night, to the delight of General Manager Matt Greci.
“We’re extremely pleased with our dates and starting times,” Greci said Thursday. “The night racing will be cooler and more comfortable for our fans, plus the added excitement of watching the action under the lights.”
The track’s 5th annual NASCAR tripleheader kicks off on Friday, May 30 with a 7 p.m. Craftsman Truck Series race. The May 31 Xfinity race starts at 6:30 and the June 1 Cup Series main event rolls off at 6.
The truck race will be televised on Fox Sports 1, as before, but the Xfinity race will be on the CW Channel and the Cup race on Prime Video, with which many viewers may not be familiar. Greci said information will be provided about how to access them.
Two of next season’s NSS race title sponsors have been finalized: Rackley Roofing and the Tennessee Lottery will return for their 5th year as sponsors of the truck and Xfinity races, respectively.
Ally, sponsor of the Cup race for the past four seasons, evidently will not be back. Greci said an announcement will be made soon.
Detailed information will also be provided about the track’s second annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, set for Aug. 31. It will again be the season finale for the IndyCar Series, to decide the championship.
This season’s Superspeedway’s Cup winner, Joey Logano, went on to capture the Series championship, the second time it has happened. The 2021 NSS winner, Kyle Larson, carried that momentum on to the Cup title.
“The road to the Cup Series championship has twice run through Nashville Superspeedway,” Greci said. “Last year’s race was one of the most exciting of the season, with a NASCAR-record five overtimes. We’re expecting the same sort of excitement next year.”
Tickets and information are available by calling 866-RACE-TIX or visiting [e-mail].
Spring Hill Library Closed Until Further Notice for Maintenance

The Spring Hill Library has announced an unexpected closure due to urgent building maintenance.

Effective immediately, the library will remain closed until repairs are completed.

The library’s outside book drop will also be temporarily unavailable, and all late fees will be paused until the library reopens.

Patrons can still access a variety of online resources, including e-books, audiobooks, videos, and music.
A new building for the Spring Hill library to call home has been on the city’s capital projects list for several years, but has been consistently put off by city leaders in favor of public safety projects such as a new police headquarters and fire station.

The library was slated to be moved to the Northfield building, along with the police HQ and other city departments, when the city purchased the building. Those plans changed when newly elected aldermen balked at the plan and eventually voted to sell the building to Worldwide Stages.

Spring Hill’s library is categorized as a Level V library by the volume of business it conducts, putting it on the same level as the largest libraries in the state.