Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 8-13-24

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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 August 13, 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 in Assault Case (TheNewsTN)
A Columbia man has been found guilty of reckless aggravated assault and other crimes after he ran over a Franklin police officer on Interstate 65 in 2022.
Initially, 28-year-old Roy Gene Nicholson, III, was charged with aggravated assault on a first responder, for which he was found not guilty, instead being found guilty of the lesser charge.
Nicholson was also found guilty of three other charges: evading arrest with a deadly weapon (vehicle), possession of marijuana with the intent to sell, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
Nicholson's convictions were returned after nearly three hours of jury deliberation on Friday, the last of a three-day trial presided over by Williamson County Circuit Judge Deanna Johnson.
Defense attorney E. Kendall White IV White told The NEWS that he was “disappointed” with the verdict and plans on appealing the verdict, citing numerous “constitutional issues.”

Spring Hill Fire (MauryCountySource)
A family was displaced after a Spring Hill home was severely damaged by a fire.
The Spring Hill Fire Department responded to the devastating house fire in the Lexington Farms Subdivision Friday evening.
While the home was unfortunately a total loss, the quick actions of firefighters saved two neighboring homes.
All families made it out safely, and no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Lt. Hall Mourned (MauryCountySource)
On Monday, the Columbia Police Department announced the passing of Retired Lieutenant Walter Hall.
Lieutenant Hall honorably served the citizens of Columbia for thirty-one years.
During service to the community, he served in many capacities including detective, sergeant, and lieutenant. Lieutenant Hall played a significant role in starting the Columbia Police Department’s Honor Guard, and served as the first commander.
Lieutenant Hall also served for many years as the commander of the SWAT Unit.

Farm Bureau Conference (CDH)
From the flatlands of West Tennessee to the soaring hills of East Tennessee, one of the state's most precious resources, its farmland, amounting to about 10 million acres, is in danger of significantly dwindling if preservation measures are not taken, according to agriculture industry experts.
During the 84th Annual Tennessee Farm Bureau President's Conference at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, the state's ongoing rapid land loss rose to the top of discussion platforms during the two-day gathering of over 750 farmers across the state.
Tennessee could lose over 1 million acres of farmland to imminent development, according to an American Farmland Trust study, "Farms Under Threat Tennessee," which examines expected trends from 2016 to 2040.
The state has already lost 1.1 million acres from 1997 to 2017. And just since 2017, the state has lost 432,941 more acres, according to University of Tennessee Farm Management studies.
Tennessee also ranks third in the nation in land loss, according to American Farmland Trust.
Exploring solutions, farmers listened Aug. 8-9 to industry experts, including representatives from the University of Tennessee, the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation and even members of Kentucky Farm Bureau, who have seen success in saving its state's green space.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally also participated in a panel discussion Friday, showing support for the caretakers of the state's largest industry, which generates approximately $89 billion annually for the state's economy according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Rapid population growth, especially in Middle Tennessee, correlates with land lost to development as well as with incoming industry such the most recent Ford BlueOval City mega site, bringing up to 5,000 jobs to a 4,100 acre industrial park in Haywood County in West Tennessee.
"We have to do something about this," Neil Delk, a beef cattle farmer in Maury County said in between conference sessions on Friday. "We have to get the land preservation bill passed."
Gov. Bill Lee proposed during the 113th General Assembly the Farmland Conservation Fund, or House Bill 1890, to combat the problem but it fell flat in the Senate after passing in the House.
However, though some in the Senate had reservations, farm leaders and legislators are confident the bill will reemerge during the 114th General Assembly.
The proposed legislation would allow the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to establish an agricultural easement program in which landowners can enroll their farm into a program to secure it for years to come.
Tennessee Farm Bureau President Eric Mayberry praised the governor's efforts earlier this year and reassured hundreds of farmers at the conference that the organization would again get behind the legislation.
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," Mayberry said.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, who participated on Friday in a panel discussion with Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, confirmed to the The Daily Herald that there is hope for the bill to pass in the 114th General Assembly.
"On the House side, we passed it," he said. "The governor is looking at a broader package as well. I was with him the other day, and he said he is having stakeholder meetings, so he is looking at some conservation and preservation as well. We will see what it looks like when it gets to us, but I have full confidence in the governor in that."
Key speaker on Friday, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall reminded farmers of the legislative power the organization possesses when they speak as a collective voice, especially against other legislation that could hurt farmers.
"When the foundation of this organization is strong and active, we can make anything happen," Duvall said. "Get outside your fence rows. Your farm extends beyond your fence rows."
In 2022, the bureau was instrumental in speaking out against a Securities Exchange Commission's proposed rule, “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate Related Disclosures for Investors” that would have required farmers to disclose information about their operations and employees, the bureau found it to be too financially cumbersome for the average famer.
"It would have put many farms under," Duvall said.
Duvall said he received a call from the SEC asking why he had received 5,000 emails from farmers in one day, explaining that eventually over 20,000 communications went out to the SEC and U.S. legislators opposing the bill.
Ultimately, the bill was killed.
Another key solution in successfully preserving land that echoed throughout the conference is securing young farmers to continue the tradition, whether inside or outside generational farming families.
Duvall emphasized "young farmers are the ones we have to focus on."
The Tennessee bureau even looked to Kentucky as a shining example of how state legislation can be crafted to incentivize families to keep the family farm in operation.
Much like Tennessee, Kentucky lost 1.4 million acres of farmland, or 17,000 farms, over 20 years.
Eddie Melton, fifth generation farmer and president of Kentucky Farm Bureau, described his bureau's efforts in supporting Kentucky (an income tax state) legislation that would give incentives, or a tax credit of up to 5% for farmers who agree to sell their land to beginning farmers.
The Kentucky Bureau has also launched a resource portal to aid families in transitioning operational farms to the next generation, through estate planning resources for example.
"It's about the next generation," Melton said, encouraging families not to delay difficult discussions.
Jeff Aiken, deputy commission for the state Department of Agriculture, who also served on the Thursday panel, stressed the importance of families transitioning ownership of their farms to other operational owners, including next generation family members.
"I think we have the opportunity to make generational transformation that will impact this state and impact the future of agriculture and keep it as the No. 1 industry in Tennessee," Aiken said.
Other solutions could reside in land planning across counties. Rutherford County for example has formed a "PlanRutherford" Steering Committee to explore ways to preserve its farmland, while other counties across the state grapple with solutions.
Knox County Farm Bureau Women's Group President Pamela Stoutt has been speaking out at county planning meetings about the importance of farmland not being overtaken by growth.
"I believe that preserving farmland is critical for the state's future. It ensures not just our food source but our fuel, our fiber and forestry. They are the driving force for us to sustain life and build our economy. We have to have all of those for ourselves and our families," Stoutt said. "I don't think people understand the importance of farmland."
During a panel discussion, Sexton said when traveling domestically or overseas, many know Tennessee as an agriculture state — the only state to have agriculture depicted on its state seal.
"I have been asked, 'Are you a farmer,' many times" Sexton said. "Tennessee is known internationally as a farming state. I don't think Tennesseans know who we are."
Sexton also explained what he'd like the average Tennessean to know about the farm industry.
"I'd like people to know how hard it is to get farm-made products, from start to finish, and how many things had to go right to get it.
"The agriculture community is supportive of the family, the church, volunteers and the volunteer spirit," Sexton said.
Duvall summed up his description of the American farmer and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
"We are family. We love our farms. We love our land, and that's why we are here," Duvall said.
Quoting scripture from the Bible, Colossians 3:23-24, Duvall cited as follows: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
"We are the American farmer," Duvall said.

Sculpture Unveiled in Arts District (Press Release)
The City of Columbia unveiled three new public art sculptures in the
Columbia Arts District Friday, August 9, 2024. The sculptures were created by local artists Whitney Herrington and Ricaurte Sculptures. These towering sculptures sit atop new art pedestals on South Garden Street that were constructed as part of the Arts District Streetscape Project completed eight months ago. The Streetscape transformation included wide sidewalks, designated street parking, a one-way-traffic pattern, landscaping, lighting, benches, and five art pedestals in designated ‘gathering’ areas.

“Today, we celebrate not just the unveiling of these magnificent sculptures, but the enrichment of our community's artistic soul,” said Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder. “Public art is more than just aesthetic beauty; it's a catalyst for connection, inspiration, and shared experience. These new pieces, created by our talented local artists, transform our Arts District into a vibrant hub where residents and visitors alike can gather, appreciate, and be inspired. They are a testament to the power of art to bring us together and create a stronger, more vibrant Columbia.”

One sculpture unveiled today was created by Whitney Herrington called ‘Dancing Poppies’. This metal art piece marks a significant evolution in Herrington’s artistic journey, transforming the vibrant energy
of her well-known, two-dimensional murals and paintings into a dynamic, three-dimensional form.
“This sculpture is inspired by poppies and the florals I use in my murals,” commented Herrington. “‘Dancing Poppies’ is a celebration of growth, both of the subject and my own artistic practice, as I continue to explore the possibilities of public sculpture/art.”

The other two sculptures unveiled were "Steelgill" and "Independence", a family collaboration of local artists -father and sons - Rommel, Nicholas, and Cory Ricaurte of Ricaurte Sculptures. Their sculptures are made completely of stainless steel with bronze complements and finished with patinas that will interact with the environment to create different hues over the years. All the forming was done by hand and with simple tools.

“The design of ‘Independence’ was inspired by breaking away from societal constraints and being true to yourself,” stated Nicholas Ricaurte. “The design of ‘Steelgill’ is inspired by our love of nature and the
importance of conservation highlighting the Duck River and other water bodies."

Additional sculptures will be installed and unveiled in the coming months to fill the remaining two art
pedestals on South Garden Street in the Columbia Arts District.

State of Education Panel Discussion (Press Release)
Join Maury Alliance on Wednesday, August 21 at 11:30 am for their annual Education Lunch featuring a State of Public Education and the 2024 Education Report.
 
During this year's event Maury Alliance President & CEO, Wil Evans will lead a panel discussion with representatives from Maury County Public Schools. They will discuss the current state of public education, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs and the Inaugural 2024 Education Report, which will be released during the event.

Panelists include:

Lisa Ventura, MCPS Superintendent

Amy Roberts, MCPS Career & Technical Education Supervisor

Michelle Gilbert, MCPS Director of Teaching, Learning & Assessment

For more information and to register, visit www.mauryalliance.com. Registration closes on Monday, August 19th a noon.

Columbia Academy Lecture (Press Release)
Columbia Academy will host an event detailing the history and architecture of the Columbia Arsenal and details found from the recently discovered blueprints housed at the National Archives in College Park, Md.
The presentation will consist of a panel including: architect Justin Lowe of Centric Architecture, Columbia Academy President Dr. James A. Thomas, and me, County Archivist Tom Price.
Built in 1890 by the United States Government, the 67-acre campus was an active military installation known as the Columbia Arsenal and originally consisted of 10 buildings, six of which remain today. The arsenal closed shortly after the Spanish-American War in 1901 and transitioned into Columbia Military Academy in 1904. In 1979, the academy was turned over to a board from local Churches of Christ as they established Columbia Academy, a now PreK-12th grade private Christian school.
The lecture will take place in the Polk Hall (Upper School) Auditorium on Thursday, September 5th from 7:00-8:30 p.m. This free event is open to the public, and no tickets are necessary for admittance.

THP Sobriety Checkpoint (Press Release)
The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting sobriety roadside safety checkpoints during the week of August 16th on State Route 50 East, .2 Miles East of the 19 mile marker in Maury County starting at 10:00PM.
Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injures 305,000 people every year in the United States. Troopers will evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. Troopers will target those who operate a vehicle while impaired and take corrective actions for other violations observed while ensuring the protection of all motorists.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol recognizes that sobriety checkpoints are highly visible and effective tools in the battle against impaired driving.

Blood Drive (MauryCountySource)
The City of Columbia and Blood Assurance are hosting a blood drive on August 16th from 10am – 3pm at Riverwalk Park.
Schedule your appointment at www.bloodassurance.org/riverwalk or come down between the hours of 10-3pm to donate.
Riverwalk Park is located at 102 Riverside Drive, Columbia.
Did you know that one donation can save up to three lives and that Blood Assurance keeps the donations local? This means your donation will directly impact your community. Plus you get a free tote bag as a very special “Thank you”

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…
Cheryl Lynn Powell Church, 71, retired Clerk & Master for Maury County, and resident of Columbia, died Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at Maury Regional Medical Center.
A Memorial service will be conducted Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Riverside United Methodist Church with Rev. Tony Brown officiating. The family will visit with friends Saturday, August 17, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Riverside United Methodist Church. 
Mary Frances Campbell Hancock, passed away on Saturday, August 10th.
Visitation will be held at Oakes and Nichols Funeral Home Wednesday, August 14 from 4-8 and Thursday August 15 at 11 with a memorial service to follow at noon. 

Now, news from around the state…

Batman Building Celebrates 30 Years (Tennessean)
For the last three decades, the AT&T building on Commerce Street, fondly known as “the Batman building," has been an icon that has stood out, and defined, the Nashville skyline despite its constant evolution.
Earl Swensson, the building's architect, and the local American Institute of Architects, saw that downtown Nashville was dying at the time with the growth of the suburbs.
Reaching out to 30 different organizations, Swensson and the committee of architects asked what they thought Nashville needed. In all those conferences, one thing became clear: A strong downtown.
“The mayor didn’t say to do it. The governor didn’t say to do it. The feds certainly had nothing to do with it. This is how Nashville did it," Swensson, who died in 2022 at 91, told The Tennessean in 2016. "That is what we call the Nashville way.”
The shape of the South Central Bell building — later named AT&T — was simply for wind resistance.
The horns, or spires, were thought up at the time because when Swensson reached out to consultants in Texas, he found that they were renting them to radio stations.
Nashville stations such WSM and WLAC. Swensson had envisioned a good business venture that involved leasing antenna space to the two stations until lawyers told him that he would not be able to lease out the spires.
In 2016, Swensson recounted how Ronald Lustig, president of Earl Swensson Associates, went to a luncheon and some people showed him a cardboard hat. "These were some competitors of ours who were trying to embarrass us," he said. "Now at that time the building was just known as ‘the building.’ And they said we’d like to introduce you to the ‘Batman.'"
“So I talked to the (building's) owner and I said, whattya think? These people called us the ‘Batman building’ and he said ‘Fantastic!’ I said what, you like it? He said I think that’s fantastic, that’ll create PR. Don’t you dare change it,” Swensson recalled in a 2016 interview with The Tennessean.
The Tennessean helped cement the name in the minds of Nashvillians.
In July 1994, then-Tennessean editor Frank Sutherland sent a photographer out to get a photo of the building, which was completed and opened in the fall of that year.
When the photographer came back to the afternoon meeting where they decided what went on page one, editors examined the photo and it looked just like Batman.
When asked if they were going to put the photo up, Sutherland felt readers would miss the point if it was just the photo of the building.
They found a photo of Batman — in the form of Michael Keaton's version of the superhero — at practically the exact angle of the photo of the building, and put them side-by-side on page one.
“Holy High-rise!” exclaimed the headline in the Sunday, July 17, 1994 edition of The Tennessean.
"Holy architecture!" began the story by Tennessean reporter Jennifer Peebles. "It's 33 stories tall, has pointy ears and a blue hood pulled low over its eyes. Although it's officially known as the South Central Bell building, Nashville's newest skyscraper has taken on a more popular moniker: It's the Batman building."

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
GRAMMY, CMA and ACM Award-winning singer songwriter Carly Pearce announces her headlining hummingbird world tour in support of her critically acclaimed fourth studio album hummingbird (Big Machine Records) kicking off October 3, 2024 in Windsor, ON.
Presented by Conundrum Wines, the 40+ date tour will continue through North American cities like Cleveland, Las Vegas, Calgary, Milwaukee, Dallas and Phoenix, as well as a run of EU/UK shows including Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London, Manchester and Dublin before concluding on May 16, 2025 in Nashville, TN at the Ryman Auditorium. Karley Scott Collins, Matt Lang, Wade Bowen and Carter Faith will join Pearce as support on select dates.
Find tickets at www.ryman.com.