Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-30-24

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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 July 30, 2024

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Missing Person (MauryCountySource)
Spring Hill Police Department needs assistance locating Ryan Frederick who was last seen on July 24th.
He is 5’10 170 pounds. Brown hair/green eyes. He is driving a 2005 Toyota Tundra (TN 92RH80).
If you have information on where he is, please call Spring Hill Police’s dispatch center at 931-486-2632 or submit an anonymous tip at www.springhilltn.org/formcenter.
Road Closure (MauryCountySource)
Twin Lakes Drive in Spring Hill will be closed until August 30 as crews continue the Buckner Lane Widening Project.
Buckner Lane will be fully open during this time.
This closure has been extended one month due to unforeseen underground conditions found once the improvements were started.
While Twin Lakes Drive will be closed to thru traffic, access to Summit High School and the surrounding area will still be available via Spring Station Drive.

4-H Members Attend UT Conference (MSM)
Yelling, “Go Vols,” is something college students do every day as they live on the UT campus in Knoxville. But during a week over the summer each year, a group of younger individuals had the opportunity to live the college life also.
Over 150 Tennessee Junior High 4-H members, in grades 6-8, descended on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville the week of June 11-14, to take part in the 36th Tennessee Junior High 4-H Academic Conference. The purpose of the conference is to recognize outstanding 4-H members and leaders, provide academic training related to the 4-H members’ project areas, offer opportunities for career exploration in agriculture and family and consumer sciences, meet other 4-H members with similar interests or in the same project area and to experience campus life firsthand.
During the spring, youth were encouraged to apply to attend the conference in one of the 20 following project areas: Beef, Citizenship, Communication/Public Speaking, Companion Animals, Computers &Technology, Consumer Education, Creative Arts and Design, Dairy Cattle, Entrepreneurship, Food Science/Dairy Foods, Forestry/Wildlife/Fisheries, Goat, Horticulture/Gardening, Horse, Nutrition/Health/Fitness, Outdoor Recreation/Shooting Sports, Performing Arts, Poultry, Sheep, Swine.
Ten finalists in each project area were chosen to attend the immersive experience on the UT campus. In addition to deep diving into hands-on activities led by subject matter experts in their project areas, the youth also visited Neyland Stadium, Main Event in Knoxville, the UT Gardens, a number of departments in the Herbert College of Agriculture on the UT campus and participated in a graduation ceremony at the Foundry at World’s Fair Park. They resided in the Robinson Hall Residence as well, and the eighth-grade participants had an opportunity to meet Dr. Robinson.
Participants from Maury County included Esther and Ruth Russell.
Tennessee Junior High 4-H Academic Conference is sponsored by the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, Tennessee Pork Producers Association, the Tennessee 4-H Foundation and the UT Institute of Agriculture. For more information about the Maury County 4-H program, please call [phone].
4-H is a part of University of Tennessee Extension, Tennessee State University Extension and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. UT-TSU Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment through the cooperation of county, state and federal governments.

Spring Station GFWC Member Gets Award (MSM)
Vicki Bechet, founder and member of the GFWC Spring Station Woman’s Club, a chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, received the Jennie Award on June 30, during GFWC’s 2024 annual convention in Chicago.
Awarded once every two years at the end of each GFWC administration, the GFWC Jennie Award is the only national honor bestowed by GFWC that recognizes individual members for personal excellence. Club members are nominated by their clubs to compete at state, regional and national levels for the Federation’s highest honor.
The Jennie Award is named in honor of GFWC’s founder, Jane Cunningham Croly, who wrote for national newspapers under the pseudonym “Jennie June.” The award is an occasion to highlight extraordinary clubwomen who epitomize Croly’s spirit of independence, courage and persistence through their roles as volunteers within their clubs, representatives of their community and as members of a family or extended family. Although GFWC has many awards for states and clubs, the GFWC Jennie Award is the only national honor that recognizes individual members for personal excellence.
Bechet, a resident of Spring Hill, is a fourth-generation member of GFWC. She grew up in a family that believed in volunteering and community service. Her father was in the Lions Club for over 60 years, served on the county school board for two decades and was an active Boy Scout supporter until his death at age 93. Her mother was a GFWC local, district and state officer, a Red Cross water safety instructor and disaster committee member and served as a city councilman. She is married to Frank Bechet, and they have four children and five grandchildren in a blended family.
As a child, she organized fundraising activities like neighborhood dog shows and Kool-Aid sales. She participated in Girl Scouts and 4-H, served on the county High School 4-H council, state fair judging teams and attended the Citizenship Short Course in Washington, D.C. She received numerous state and regional honors in science competitions and was active in various school organizations. Each summer, she worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor, specializing in scared beginner classes for children and adults.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, she is a nationally certified (retired) RN. Vicki’s professional focus was maternal and neonatal care. She taught childbirth/breastfeeding classes, campaigned for infant car seat laws, managed a March of Dimes grant program for teenage mothers and was an officer and board member of several state and national perinatal professional organizations. Vicki worked in Labor & Delivery until she left patient care to become a consultant and project manager in the hospital construction industry, specializing in medical equipment planning.
She joined her first GFWC Junior club in 1980, was a club president, and TN Junior Director from 1994-96. In 2010 she started the GFWC Spring Station Woman’s Club, formed the GFWC Maury County Woman’s Club in 2019, and successfully reactivated a lapsed club in Clarksville in 2021. She has held various positions in GFWC of TN, culminating in State President in 2020. A tireless community volunteer, she was an officer of the Spring Hill Arts Center, represents her club at Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce events, is a life member of the Spring Hill Friends of the Library, started the Spring Station Book Club and serves as a poll worker during state/national elections. She was recognized as one of 50 outstanding graduates of the UTK College of Nursing at its 50th anniversary celebration. Her largest GFWC community service project was the successful statewide initiative to replace all the thousands of elementary school library books destroyed in the August 2021 flash flood in her hometown of Waverly.
The GFWC Spring Station Woman’s Club meets one night a month, usually the first Monday, from 6-8 p.m. in the lower level of the Spring Hill Senior Citizens building, 563 Maury Hill St. For further information, please visit their website at www.gfwcspringstation.wordpress.com or email [e-mail].
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is a unifying force, bringing together local women’s clubs, with members dedicated to strengthening their communities and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. With more than 60,000 members in affiliated clubs in every state, the District of Columbia and more than a dozen countries, GFWC members work in their own communities to support the arts, preserve natural resources, advance education, promote healthy lifestyles, encourage civic involvement and work toward world peace and understanding.
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 August 1st 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 State Leadership (Press Release)
Columbia State Community College’s Office of Workforce and Continuing Education leadership development program is designed to benefit new and emerging leaders to help them develop the necessary skills and a toolkit of resources to help them excel as they move into and grow in their leadership roles.
“I am extremely proud to be bringing this program to our communities,” said Melody Murphy, Columbia State Workforce and Continuing Education director. With ‘Now Hiring’ posted on almost every storefront, it is becoming harder for employers to find and keep good employees. This program is an excellent opportunity for a company to identify dedicated employees' value and hard work and build them up through this program for leadership and supervision roles.”
The Columbia State Leadership for Operational Excellence program nurtures success and provides participants with the skills and resources for them to excel as leaders within their organizations.
Topics covered will include leadership styles, generations and teams, employee engagement and productivity, communication and leading your team, business finance and budgets, presentation skills and networking as well as delivering outcomes and managing change.
“Many of us have seen firsthand how promoting internally for these positions based on performance can be problematic, because doing a job and leading others to do a job are very different things that require somewhat different skill sets,” Murphy said. “This program aims to give participants the necessary leadership skills to be successful leaders.”  
Registration is now open for the program, which consists of eight full-day sessions with two full days conducted back-to-back. Participants should plan to attend all sessions, which will take place at Columbia State’s Williamson Campus. The program begins in August with the dates of August 8 – 9, September 12 – 13, October 3 – 4 and November 14 – 15. Cost is $2,995, with lunch provided.
To register, please visit https://www.campusce.net/columbiastate/course/course.aspx?catId=23.
For more information, please contact Murphy at [e-mail].

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…   
Ray Fisher Davis, 86, retired Director of the South Central Health Agency,and resident of Columbia, died Thursday, July 25, 2024 at his residence. Visitation will be conducted Tuesday, July 30, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Martha Matthews, 100, retired secretary of Joseph Brown Elementary School and resident of Scott Hollow Road, died at home Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Funeral services will be at noon on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home in Columbia. Visitation with the family will be two hours prior to the service. Burial will be at Polk Memorial Gardens in Columbia.

Now, news from around the state…
Bike Tennessee (Tennessean)
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is hoping to get more biking enthusiasts interested in vacationing across the state through a new program that's the first of its kind in the South.
Bike Tennessee features 52 newly-curated road cycling routes developed by a cycling tourism professional with a focus on bringing cycling to rural communities.
The initiative is so new, it's only offered in one other state, Oregon.
“The governor’s first executive order was to promote initiatives supporting rural counties,” Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell said. “And that is exactly what this initiative does. (It is) a low-cost, sustainable program that benefits smaller communities.”
To locate and design the routes, the tourist development department partnered with Shannon Burke, owner of Velo View Bike Tours in Chattanooga. Burke moved to Tennessee from California a few years ago to be closer to family, he said, adding that he immediately fell in love with the diverse terrain.
“The state has every type of mountain, and you can also ride in all seasons,” Burke said. “It’s perfect for an initiative like this.”
As Burke searched for routes, he targeted roads that didn’t have a lot of traffic, but still felt safe and provided a scenic view of the area, he said.
“I would ask myself, ‘if I put this on a bike tour, would they get their money’s worth?'” Burke said. “The result is a mix of escaping civilization, while still making sure people are comfortable.”
Tennessee's Department of Tourist Development has also partnered with Ride with GPS, a navigation platform used daily by thousands of cyclists, for the program. The state's 52 Bike Tennessee routes are accessible to users of the app and are all designed as a loop to simplify parking, while still varying distance and difficulty, officials explained.
While Tennessee doesn’t boast casinos or beaches, tourism in the state's rural areas still accounts for about 20% of visitor spending, Ezell said.
“In 2022 alone, the state welcomed 141 million visitors, who spent a record $29 billion,” Ezell explained. “A big part of that is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is still by far the most visited national park in America. This initiative gives tourists just another reason to visit our beautiful state.”
The initiative officially launched statewide in May.
For more information, visit tnvacation.com/biketennessee.

Violent Crime Down (Tennessean)
A new analysis found homicides and most violent crimes have decreased over the last year and most are slightly below pre-pandemic levels across the country and in Nashville, the Council of Criminal Justice reports.
The study examined patterns for 12 different types of crimes in cities that have published data over the past six years. Nashville-Davidson County was among the cities in the study.
Data shows violent crimes — like homicides — declined across the country over the first six months of 2024, compared to 2023 and for the same time period in 2019.
Homicides were down 13% across the 39 cities studied by Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan organization tasked with finding solutions to enhance safety and justice.
“Especially with homicide, the continuing downward trends we’re seeing so far this year are heartening, as every killing prevented is a life saved,” said Senior Research Specialist Ernesto Lopez, co-author of the report. “But crime is heavily influenced by local factors, and despite the national trends, many U.S. cities continue to face intolerably high levels of violence.”
The report suggests departments adopt research-based public safety strategies to reduce crime.
Nashville's homicide data compared favorably to the other 38 cities. Data was collected from January through June of 2019, 2023 and 2024.
Homicides in Nashville were 20% lower in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same time period in 2023, though cases were up 20% when compared to 2019. Nationally, rates this year are 13% lower than last year and 2% lower than in 2019.
When compared to Chattanooga, which was the only other Tennessee city included in the study, Nashville's 2024 homicide rates were lower. Chattanooga saw a 7% rise in homicides compared to last year.
Homicide wasn't the only violent crime tracked. Across all cities included in the study, aggravated assaults were down 7%, gun assaults down 18%, robberies down 6% and domestic violence cases down 2% from this year to last year. Compared to 2019, rates this year for robberies, aggravated assault and domestic violence were still lower, though assaults with guns were 1% higher.
Motor vehicle theft in Nashville saw a significant drop in 2024 of 23% compared to 2023. Nationally, motor vehicle theft was down 18%.
But motor vehicle thefts across the country in the first six months of 2024 were 66% higher than during the same time period in 2019.
Motor vehicle theft was far greater in Nashville when comparing the first six months of 2024 to 2019, with Nashville experiencing 80% higher rates in 2024.
Chattanooga experienced the third largest increase among cities studied with a motor vehicle theft rate 28% higher this year compared to last year.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
The Americana Music Association has announced its performers for the 23rd annual Americana Honors & Awards, taking place in Nashville on Sept. 18 at the famed Ryman Auditorium.
This year’s Honors & Awards will deliver performances from award-winning legends, buzzworthy new artists, and longtime fan favorites including Blind Boys of Alabama, Brandy Clark with SistaStrings, Charles Wesley Godwin, Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, Fantastic Negrito, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Jobi Riccio, Kaitlin Butts, Larkin Poe, The Milk Carton Kids, Noah Kahan, Sarah Jarosz, Shelby Lynne, Sierra Ferrell, Turnpike Troubadours, The War And Treaty, Waxahatchee with MJ Lenderman, and Wyatt Flores.
The ceremony is the hallmark event for the 24th annual AMERICANAFEST, held across new and historic venues throughout Nashville during the week of September 17-21.
Tickets to the Americana Honors & Awards are on sale now, at www.americana.flicket.io/events.