Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 12-20-24

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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 December 20, 2024

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Man Charged With Attempted Murder (MSM)
A Columbia man is facing a series of charges, including attempted first-degree murder, after an alleged domestic incident at his home.
Arrest reports filed with the Maury County Circuit Court Clerk’s office stated that on Monday, Dec. 9, Christan Scott Miller, 30, asked his former girlfriend, Erika Coleman, to watch over his home while he was out of state for work. Coleman reportedly asked another male friend, William Talbott, to be at Miller’s home with her.
Coleman reportedly told police she was in the master bedroom changing clothes when she heard a gunshot from within the home and found Miller in the living room holding a gun.
Miller allegedly pointed the gun at Coleman before moving to a spare bathroom where Talbott lay injured and proceded to shoot him in the head.
Talbott’s condition is unknown at this time.
Miller was booked into the Maury County Jail on Tuesday, Dec. 17 on charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated domestic assault and preventing a call to 911. No bond had been set at press time and Miller was scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 13, 2025.

Tom J. Hitch Closure (Press Release)
Beginning on January 13th at 10:00am, the Tom J. Hitch Parkway in Columbia will be temporarily closed to thru traffic to allow for reparis to the bridge crossing the Duck River. The bridge will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic while repairs are underway.
Tom J. Hitch Parkway will be closed between Bear Creek Pike and Iron Bridge Road.
Highway 31 thru downtown Columbia will be the preferred detour.
Construction is expected to last until summer of 2025.
For additional information, please contact the Maury County Highway Department at 931-375-6202.

Mersen Layoffs (WSMV)
A Columbia manufacturing plant is being accused of Grinch-style behavior after announcing furloughs and layoffs during December for a significant part of its workforce.
The Mersen Manufacturing plant announced just weeks before the Christmas holiday that it was set to furlough 80 percent of its workers in Columbia and that 25 percent of its workforce was permanently laid off as of Dec. 15.
Mersen has made a $64.5 million investment in Maury County since 2019 and opened the Columbia plant in July 2023. The location focuses on the manufacturing of extruded graphite, insulation felt and isostatic graphite that will be used for green technology products used in solar panels, semiconductors and electric vehicles.
At the July 2023 opening, company officials said they had hired nearly 100 employees from the region and planned to hire 50 more in the next 12 months.
In response to the furloughs and layoffs, the workers’ union representing those affecte, the International Union of Electrical and Communications Workers of America, or IUE-CWA, has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Mersen of violating federal labor law and betraying previous commitments to the community.
According to the union, the cuts follow a successful unionization vote by Columbia workers seeking fair pay, safer conditions and job security for temporary workers. The union claims that rather than negotiate in good-faith, Mersen hired anti-union law firm Jackson Lewis and soon after announced the furloughs and layoffs — a move the union says is clear retaliation.
“The timing is no coincidence,” said Orvin Caraballo, an IUE-CWA organizer. “Layoffs during the holidays hurt families the most. It’s a ruthless tactic to break workers’ resolve, and it’s illegal. To add insult to injury, Mersen is ramping up its hiring of temporary workers — a move that only deepens the betrayal felt by longtime employees.”
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development also administered a $505,000 infrastructure grant for the project, which was awarded to Maury County, not Mersen. The union’s filing also seeks to have the company repay all or part of that grant funding.
Mersen, which operates 35 plants worldwide and 10 in the United States, reported $1.27 billion in global sales in 2023, with $486 million coming from North America, according to union officials.
“This is a betrayal of Tennessee workers and taxpayers,” added Carl Kennebrew, President of IUE-CWA. “The public invested in Mersen with the promise of good, stable jobs for this community. Instead, Mersen is slashing jobs right before the holidays while raking in record sales and increased profitability.”
Mersen issued the following statement to Main Street Maury:
“Mersen acquired and reopened the Columbia, Tennessee facility in 2019 with the objective of increasing its graphite production capacity. Our commitment has remained strong over the past five years.
“The electric vehicle market is currently experiencing a slowdown across the U.S. and major industrialized markets that also impacts the semiconductor market. This has resulted in a significant drop in demand for isostatic graphite. As a result, we have had to make some difficult decisions and rationalize our industrial footprint, especially in connection with our isostatic production process.
“On November 25, we put 47% of our employees on a one-week furlough, and less than 10% remain on furlough until January 5, 2025. These employees retain their benefits and position with the Company, but they are on an unpaid absence. It is our understanding that those who are out on furlough for more than one week are eligible to collect unemployment benefits.
“In addition, we have ceased operations of the isostatic process in Columbia, and we are consolidating U.S. operations of this process back to the St. Marys, Pennsylvania location where workers are represented by IUE-CWA Local 502.
“The consolidation resulted in the discontinuance of temporary labor, and the elimination of regular positions at the Columbia location. Less than 20% of the regular positions at the Columbia facility were impacted.
“Mersen notified the union regarding the consolidation and resulting layoffs and we have repeatedly offered to meet and bargain with the union. In our meetings with union representatives, we made an offer of severance for impacted union workers. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the union representatives to assist the affected employees as they transition to new opportunities.
“These changes are business decisions strictly due to current external market conditions. Operations of the two other product lines (extruded graphite & insulation products) are continuing at the Columbia site.
“Mersen is strongly committed to its facility in Columbia, which remains the company’s planned location for future expansion of isostatic production consistent with the market. Mersen intends to continue to invest in Columbia in 2025 and the years to come.”

BOMA Defers Airport Development (CDH)
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen has postponed any further movement on a proposed zoning amendment which would allow construction of an airport off Jim Warren Road in Spring Hill.
The proposed Spring Hill Commerce Center's request went before the BOMA on Monday for its second reading, which was deferred with minimal discussion until the board's Jan. 21, 2025 regular meeting.
The BOMA previously approved unanimously the item's first reading earlier this month, where Development Services Director Dara Sanders explained further what the request is seeking, including a new master plan for the site.
"There are some conditions of approval that could change slightly, particularly related to street improvements that staff is continuing to work with the developer applicant on," Sanders said during the Dec. 2 meeting.
Sanders added that some conditions of approval could change by the second reading, particularly street improvements, but no agreement between staff and the developer was discussed prior to Monday's deferral.
Though no concrete discussions of an airport have been made by the BOMA, there have been talks in the past of it being a possibility.
BOMA initially approved the Spring Hill Commerce Center's master plan in 2023, which allowed for development of an approximately 700-acre business park.
In November, the Municipal Planning Commission approved unanimously a favorable recommendation to amend the master plan, which would allow use of an airport. Citizens had also spoken out in support, and how Spring Hill could benefit from having its own airport if approved.
"What this is going to be an airport for, is an economic engine to bring tremendous value to this community. The businesses that look for headquarters that have high paying jobs, high-valued corporate headquarters, one of their criteria is easy access to an airport," Mike Harris, founder of Hawkins Flight Academy in Shelbyville previously told the planning commission.
"What this is as well is an opportunity for young people to pursue flight training and to pursue high-paying jobs. I have 17-year-old high school seniors ... who by the time they are 21 are going to be making six figures in the airlines, at 21 years old."

SHPD Collecting for Fallen Officer (MauryCountySource)
The Spring Hill Police Department is collecting items to support fallen McNairy County Sheriff’s Sergeant Rick Finley, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty on December 14, 2024. Sgt. Finley leaves behind a wife, a two-year-old child, and an unborn child (both children are boys).
If you would like to help the Finley’s, SHPD will be taking donations until Friday January 3rd at 199 Town Center Pkwy (lower level of City Hall, left-hand side of the building) from 8 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday. Please note that no one will be there to collect the items on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day. Item’s requested:
– Clothing for a newborn or up to 6 months old (boy).
-Huggies diapers (newborn or size 6)
-Huggies natural wipes
-Pajamas or maternity clothes for his wife (size 2xl)
If you have questions about their specific needs, please contact SHPD Officer Mike Stewart at [e-mail].

John C. Porter Scholarship for Boys and Girls’ Club (MSM)
The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Tennessee has announced the inauguration of the John C. Porter Scholarship Fund, established in fond memory of the late John Cheairs Porter — a visionary leader and instrumental figure in the organization’s founding. 
Born on June 25, 1938, in Columbia, Porter was raised on a farm along Bear Creek Pike. His familial roots extended deep into South Georgia, where he cherished time spent with cousins in Thomasville. An accomplished scholar, he graduated from both the University of Tennessee and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His distinguished career as a chemical engineer took him across the globe, igniting a lifelong passion for travel and diverse cultures, and fostering a profound appreciation for cultural diversity that defined his open-minded character. Despite his international endeavors, his heart remained in Maury County, where he returned to raise his family and invest in the community that shaped his early years. 
As a prominent leader in Columbia, Porter served on the City Council, was an active participant in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and contributed to numerous civic organizations. Notably, his pivotal collaboration with Ms. Ora Thompson led to the founding of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maury County. 
Recognizing an urgent need to offer support and opportunities to the children of Columbia, Thompson approached Porter with a proposal to invest $50,000 of her own money to sustain the club during its inaugural year. Together, they enlisted esteemed community leaders — including John Stephens, Rufus Clifford, Don Crichton, Bill Walter, and Darlene Baxter — to form an influential board of professionals that would lay the foundational groundwork for the Maury chapter of the Boys & Girls Clubs. Their collective efforts resulted in the establishment of bylaws, the hiring of a full-time executive director, and laying the groundwork for the club’s long-term sustainability. 
“The Boys & Girls Clubs owe their existence to a unique partnership between Ora Thompson and John C. Porter, who were both selfless, influential, thoughtful, lifelong inhabitants of Maury County,” said Eslick Daniel, a longtime supporter of BGCSCTN and friend to both.
Over the course of 25 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Tennessee, formerly the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maury County, has expanded its reach from a single site to three clubs and 11 school sites, serving over 1,500 youth annually. The organization has established itself as a cornerstone of the community, providing essential services and support to children and families in some of the most underrepresented and under-resourced areas. As of 2024, BGCSCTN boasts a dedicated full-time staff of 16, part-time staff of 54, 50 volunteers, and 25 board members. 
“Ora and John’s dedication to our community and their unwavering support for our youth have left the enduring legacy we inherited at the Clubs,” said Ginny Wright, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Tennessee. “The scholarship fund is a testament to John Porter’s life’s work, and with this scholarship, we continue to open doors for youth most in need.” 
Donations to the John C. Porter Scholarship Fund will directly benefit the youth of Giles and Maury Counties. These funds will continue the mission of Ora Thompson and John C. Porter in supporting the children of our community. They will be used to reduce — and in some cases completely waive — membership fees, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent children from participating in our programs. Additionally, the scholarship may support initiatives such as sponsoring college visits, educational workshops or extracurricular activities that foster personal growth and development. 
For more information on how to donate to the John C. Porter Scholarship Fund, please visit the organization’s website at www.bgcsctn.org or contact Missy Naff at [phone], ext. 2604 or [e-mail]. 

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…

Jeanette McMurtry Kelly Bridges, 94, resident of Columbia, died Monday, December 16, 2024 at her residence.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church. Entombment will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 12:00 PM till 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church.

James Oliver “Jimmy” Pantall, 83, owner and operator of Pantall Farm and resident of Columbia, died Sunday, December 15, 2024 at his residence.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Northview Church of Christ. Burial will follow at Lasting Hope Cemetery with military honors provided by the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 4:00 PM till 7:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home, and on Sunday from 1:00 PM till the time of service at Northview Church of Christ.

Charlotte Eugenia Lentz Morrow, 88, resident of Columbia, died Saturday, December 14, 2024 at her residence.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time, and will be announced at a later date. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Joyce Ann Hickman Dugger, 83, resident of Spring Hill, TN died Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at Mt. Pleasant Rehabilitation Center. 
Funeral services will be conducted Monday, December 23, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Glenwood Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Sunday, December 22, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Monday, December 23, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Mrs. Debbie Rose, 63, lifelong resident of Columbia, passed away on Sunday at Maury Regional Medical Center after a sudden illness. A Memorial service is planned for December 29 at Williamsport United Methodist Church. Visitation will start at 2:00 PM with a celebration of life to follow at 3:00 PM.

And now, news from around the state…
TCAT Enrollment Up 19% (MSM)
Total enrollment in the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) increased to 44,723 during academic year 2023-24 – a 19 percent increase over the previous year – according to a new report presented to the Tennessee Board of Regents during its quarterly meeting Tuesday, Dec. 10.
The growth occurred across all sectors of students, but dual enrollment – high school students who are also enrolled in career and technical education programs at the TCATs – continued to show the largest increase, up 31 percent over academic year 2022-23. Enrollment of high school graduates and other adults in traditional TCAT diploma and certificate programs increased 7 percent. Enrollment in special industry and other supplemental programs increased by 25 percent, to 10,590 students.
There are 24 TCAT main campuses across the state – each with multiple branch campuses in their regions – offering a broad range of career and technical education programs. The TCATs awarded 7,925 career and technical diplomas and certificates to program graduates during the 2023-24 academic year (three trimesters).
TCAT enrollment growth continued with the current Fall trimester, where enrollment registrations in the TCATs were up 20 percent over Fall 2023.
The Board also received the system’s annual fundraising report. The 13 community colleges received a total of $19,219,484 in contributions through their foundations during fiscal year 2023-24, an increase of $1,540,456 from the previous year. Nashville State Community College led the community colleges in fundraising with $4.28 million, followed by Roane State Community College with just over $4.2 million and Dyersburg State Community College with $2.27 million.
Funds and in-kind donations contributed through the systemwide Foundation for the College System of Tennessee totaled $642,754 during the fiscal year. Since the systemwide foundation was reconstituted in Fiscal Year 2019, it has distributed $980,342 in scholarship funds to students.
Board members also received an update on construction projects underway across the system. There are 29 major projects, mostly at the TCATs, totaling $884 million and funded by a $1 billion investment by Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assembly in the fiscal year 2023-24 state budget; 21 previously funded TCAT projects totaling over $500 million; 34 community college projects totaling $274 million, and 11 major-maintenance projects at TCATs totaling $10 million. In addition to those projects, the TBR Office of Facilities Development is helping to oversee 45 projects totaling $530 million at state universities that were formerly part of the TBR system.
The Board also approved implementation of new career and technical training programs, including a truck driving certificate program at TCAT Dickson’s Clarksville campus, a nursing aide certificate program at TCAT Jacksboro and a new advanced manufacturing technician certificate programs at TCAT McMinnville’s main campus and its Coffee County campus.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
Live this weekend in style by joining Whitthorne Middle School Band Director Cord Martin as he brings a jazzy festive cheer to the season at The Mulehouse.
The Mulehouse, 812 S. High St., will present Christmas with saxaphonist Cord Martin and Friends, featuring a night of beloved Christmas classics reimagined in a contemporary jazz style, as well as featuring a few of Martin's own original compositions.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. Sunday, with the show starting at 6 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets are $25 per person and are available at www.seetickets.us.