WKOM/WKRM Radio
Southern Middle Tennessee Today
News Copy for January 3, 2025
All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Tom Hitch Parkway to Partially Close (Press Release)
Repairs to a bridge crossing the Duck River will lead to a temporary closure of a portion of Tom J. Hitch Parkway, Maury County and City of Columbia officials announced last week.
Beginning on Monday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m., Tom J. Hitch Parkway will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bear Creek Pike (Highway 412) and Iron Bridge Road. Construction is expected to last through summer 2025.
Highway 31 through downtown Columbia is the preferred detour, officials announced.
Anyone with additional questions is encouraged to contact the Maury County Highway Department at (931) 375-6202.
First Birth of 2025 (Press Release)
Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) is delighted to announce the arrival of its first baby of the new year! Jeremiah Mayberry was born on Jan. 1 at 1:20 a.m., weighing 6 lbs. 9 oz. and measuring 19.5 inches long.
MRMC is proud to offer a full range of childbirth and gynecological care in its state-of-the-art facilities. The dedicated Mother/Baby Unit provides private, spacious suites design for comfort, with couplet care allowing mothers and babies to room together for early bonding. Families benefit from 24-hour access to anesthesia, fully equipped operating suites and a team of highly trained staff focused on personalized care.
Additional services include newborn care from board-certified pediatricians, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for advanced care and breastfeeding support. Maury Regional also emphasizes family involvement through room-in options, safe sleep education and soothing practices like lullaby charms that celebrate each new arrival. These services reflect the center’s dedication to ensuring exceptional experience for mothers, babies and families in the community.
MRMC has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Perinatal Care Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
MRMC also recently received two recognitions for performance in the 2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Promotion of Vaginal Delivery Project led by the Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC), for which MRMC is one of eight hospitals to achieve gold-level recognition.
To learn more, visit MauryRegional.com/Childbirth.
In other Maury Regional news…
Jonathan Paul, MD, an internal medicine and geriatric medicine specialist, has joined the medical staff at Maury Regional Medical Center as a hospital medicine physician.
Dr. Paul received his medical degree at Wuhan University School of Medicine, Wuhan, China. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Trinity Health Livonia Hospital, Wayne State University in Livonia, MI. He also completed a fellowship in geriatric medicine at Cleveland Clinic Florida, in Weston, FL. Dr. Paul is board certified in internal medicine as well as geriatric medicine.
Maury Regional Medical Group, an affiliate of Maury Regional Health, provides Maury Regional’s hospital medicine physicians. These physicians are specialists who devote their time and expertise to adult and pediatric patients exclusively within the hospital setting. The hospital medicine physicians are trained in internal medicine and pediatrics and can care for patients ranging from infants to the elderly.
And finally…
Kelly H. Taylor, FNP-C, has joined Maury Regional Medical Group (MRMG) Mid-South Gastroenterology and is associated with providers Dr’s. Amit A. Choksi, MD; Dayaker R. Mallipeddi, MD; Robert W. McClure, MD; Srikar S. Reddy, MD; Michael Blanco, MD and Family Nurse Practitioner Timothy Dickey, FNP.
Taylor received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee and her master’s degree in nursing from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee prior to earning certification as a family nurse practitioner. She has nearly 20 years of experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including having previously served as a charge nurse on the endoscopy unit at Maury Regional Medical Center.
MRMG Mid-South Gastroenterology’s Columbia office is in the Maury Regional Medical Office Building, Suite 501, at 1222 Trotwood Avenue in Columbia. The Spring Hill office will be located at 1003 Reserve Boulevard, Suite 220, in Spring Hill. Office hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. A physician’s order is required to make an appointment.
For a complete list of services and more information, call 931.388.8302 or visit MauryRegional.com/Gastroenterology.
What’s Coming in 2025? (MSM)
Main Street Maury asked the leaders of Maury County and its cities what they think will be the problems and tasks facing their respective municipalities in 2025.
Maury County
County Commissioner Eric Previti sees passing an impact fee as one of the two big issues facing the county. New forms of taxation are required to replace funds from the adequate facilities tax, which have gone towards “other items in need of growth,” he says.
Previti believes that water is the other big issue. “I have no idea how all of that is going to manifest, but something must be done because we do not have enough water,” he told Main Street Maury. “A lot of this is due to the expensive growth and building permits the cities have issued.”
In 2025, the county will begin to install the tornado sirens it ordered for remote areas.
Columbia
Columbia’s leaders look forward to the coming year’s projects. Columbia Power and Water Services is working on two projects to increase the city’s water supply, but they want to draw from sources other than the Duck River, in accord with Gov. Bill Lee’s recent initiative to protect the valuable and endangered river. They haven’t decided which yet, but Mayor Chaz Molder is optimistic.
“I have great confidence that the year 2025 will be the year that alternative water sources are identified,” he declared. Columbia will also work to protect the Duck from future landfill proposals, as it did earlier in 2024.
Columbia is also working on a $100 million expansion of its wastewater treatment facilities, the largest capital project in the city’s history. Its flagship Fire Station #1 will be renovated to the tune of $5 million and the Muletown Rec Center (which the city will purchase in the upcoming quarter for $4.3 million) will also require several million dollars’ worth of renovation. The Columbia Mall is now being renovated by Highland Capital, to be opened this year to retailers, while the private Bristol Development Group will continue to build “The Drake,” a 278-unit apartment-business complex near the square.
Of lesser magnitude, the city plans to expand Iron Bridge Road and possibly see the sale and development of the old Sloan Ford dealership.
“2025 promises to be a year of challenges and opportunities for our community, but I am confident we have far more opportunities and successes than we will challenges, and the challenges will be worth it in the end,” said Molder, speaking to the concerns of Columbians about the sustainability of the current pace and pattern of growth. “[We will] maintain a focus on infrastructure needs of today and tomorrow, and work to provide the best quality of life for our residents while taking care of our own.”
Mount Pleasant
Philip Grooms, who replaced Kate Collier as city manager for Mount Pleasant, spoke about the town’s goals for the year. Mount Pleasant’s biggest challenges stem from its ongoing projects to improve the north-end highway bridge and to renovate its downtown, both of which have caused revenues to fall for nearby local businesses. The city has already approved funding for maintenance of the new sidewalks and streets, and plans to use a $2.2 million Connected Facilities grant.
Mount Pleasant’s City Commission is building on its previous attempts to overhaul its water system. The city approved an additional water filter system at the water treatment plant, to keep a redundant filter in case of emergency events like weather or mechanical failures. They’ve also made plans to replace all its industrial and residential water meters.
Spring Hill
“Spring Hill’s No. 1 project is, and will be for the foreseeable future, the Advanced Purification Project,” said Mayor Jim Hagaman.
The pilot of the project (approved by the state) will use a very new form of chemical purification, which Spring Hill will help pioneer.
“This project will ensure we have enough water for residents for the future, while also keeping the Duck River’s delicate ecosystem balanced.”
The city’s municipal facilities will be overhauled too. The ground has already been broken on Fire Station #4, to be opened this year. The Spring Hill Police Department also celebrated the “topping out” ceremony at its new headquarters, which will open in 2025.
Politically, the city faces its municipal election in April, where its entire Board of Mayor and Aldermen is up for re-election.
Mt. Pleasant Swears In New Commissioners (MSM)
Mount Pleasant’s City Commission welcomed its new members at its meeting on Tuesday night, Dec. 17. Councilwoman-elect Loree Baker Knowles took her oath of office, joining re-electees Mayor Bill White, Vice Mayor Jacqueline Grandberry and Willie Alderson as representatives of the people of Mount Pleasant. Councilman-elect Lonnie Thomason was absent.
The commissioners also voted for their mayor and vice mayor. Outgoing Commissioner Mike Davis nominated Bill White for mayor, and the other commissioners voted him in 5-0. Outgoing Commissioner Pam Johnston nominated Willie Alderson for vice mayor, reminding people that she got the most votes in the election and praising her competence.
“She has proven to be an… outstanding commissioner,” said Johnston, “and she’s an amazing asset to this community.” Alderson accepted the nomination. The other commissioners voted her in 4-1, Alderson herself being the only vote against.
The Commission then presented departing Vice Mayor Jacqueline Grandberry with her photograph which hung in the city building.
“Mrs. Grandberry, thank you for your service to this community. It has been a pleasure to work with you,” Mayor White told her.
White addressed the torn-up downtown of Mount Pleasant in his mayor’s report.
“I know it’s tough right now, but wait till about March and you’re going to see a wonderful downtown,” he said, praising the people working on it.
City Manager Philip Grooms said that the downtown project was going well: the city had opened a “back entrance” to the square and the museum personnel were serving as good collaborators.
“The museum is a great asset and it’s a pretty cool place,” Grooms said.
Finance Director Shiphrah Cox addressed the question of how the city will get its required annual audit. It was supposed to be conducted by Putnam & Hancock, their new firm of choice after transferring away from Blankenship, but because of federal overregulation, P&H decided this year (like many small financial firms, Cox said) to cease performing government audits altogether. Unfortunately, going to a larger firm would make Mount Pleasant’s audit more expensive. If the trend continued, Cox said, the state might end up auditing small towns on its own time and dime. She’s now trying to find an audit firm in the geographical area near Mount Pleasant.
Cox emphasized that the city’s budget is still under its control, but if Mount Pleasant wants to win higher-tier budget awards than the one they got for 2023, they need a more prestigious firm to confirm their good work.
“If we want to put our name out there as one of the places that has the best financial records, we also have to… pay an audit firm that can produce those type of financials, that can be recognized country-wide,” she told the Commission.
Grooms said that construction on the closed bridge north of Mount Pleasant was continuing apace. No one tried to address popular complaints about the effect of the bridge closure on the businesses surrounding it, which have complained about greatly reduced sales receipts. The thrift store Treasures-R-Us, located at the north end of the bridge, just went out of business because of the construction-induced slump.
Grooms reported also that the wastewater treatment plant was largely complete and the finishing touches would be completed by spring. The city’s wastewater system is currently being analyzed by Barge Design Solutions, which made one of its five monthly reports at the meeting, and the commissioners voted to accept the improvements that Barge proposed.
Columbia Woman Awarded International Grant (MSM)
The U.S. Department of State has awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to approximately 1,600 American undergraduate students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico during the fall 2024 cycle. Among the recipients is an outstanding student from Middle Tennessee State University who hails from Columbia.
Ashari Leonard, a fashion merchandising major from Columbia, will study abroad in Japan, immersing herself in the country’s vibrant fashion industry.
“The Office of Education Abroad is proud to celebrate our students who have been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This outstanding achievement will create exciting global opportunities and enhance their educational experiences,” said Paige Brake, Director of Education Abroad at MTSU.
This prestigious program supports U.S. students studying or interning abroad, fostering cross-cultural exchange and academic development. The fall 2024 cohort of Gilman Scholars will study or intern in over 90 countries worldwide and represent more than 500 U.S. colleges and universities.
The Gilman Scholarship, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is funded by the U.S. Congress and implemented by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Since its establishment in 2001, the program has supported over 44,000 scholars, enabling them to study or intern in more than 170 countries.
The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by providing awards to outstanding undergraduates who may not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to diversify the students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.
For more information about study abroad opportunities and scholarship resources at MTSU, contact the Office of Education Abroad or visit mtsu.studioabroad.com,
And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…
Mr. Winston Thomas “Tom” Stevenson, 45, millwright journeyman for Boldt, and resident of Columbia, died Sunday, December 22 at his home. The family will visit with friends Friday, January 3 from 5:00 PM till 7:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.
Harold Wayne Richardson, 72, former stock hand at Southern Livestock and other stock barns around the surrounding counties, and a resident of Culleoka, died peacefully Wednesday, January 1, 2025 at his home surrounded by family.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery.
Vivian Ruth Pilkinton Elliott Connelly, 92, former Maury County school teacher and a resident of Chapel Hill, died Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at Life Care Center of Columbia.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend Jerry Yerkes officiating. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols. Burial will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Robert Scott Howell, 53, resident of Murfreesboro, died Friday, December 20 at Alive Hospice- Murfreesboro. A graveside service will be conducted Sunday, January 5 at 2:00 PM at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Nancy Davis Bone Scott, 89, wife of William Harold Scott and resident of Columbia, died Wednesday, December 25 at NHC Maury Regional Transitional Care. Funeral services will be conducted Monday, January 6, at 2:00 PM at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery. The family will visit with friends on Monday from 12:30 PM until the service time.
President Carter to Lie in State (TNLookout)
Funeral services of former President Jimmy Carter will span from Jan. 4 to Jan. 9, the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region said Monday.
Carter, who died Sunday at 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, lived the longest of any U.S. president in history.
Following a service in Georgia and a public viewing as he lies in repose from Jan. 4 to Jan. 7, Carter’s body will travel to Washington, D.C., according to a schedule the task force provided Monday.
Ceremonies shift to the Washington area on Jan. 7. After landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, in the afternoon, his body will travel to the U.S. Navy Memorial. Carter was a Navy veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
A funeral procession to the U.S. Capitol will take place in the afternoon.
Members of Congress are slated to pay their respects at a service scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
While Carter lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, the public can offer their respects beginning Jan. 7 from 7 p.m. to midnight. People can also pay their respects starting 7 a.m. on Jan. 8 until 7 a.m. on Jan. 9.
Carter’s body will then be taken to Washington National Cathedral Jan. 9 for a 10 a.m. funeral service. President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy, the New York Times reported Monday.
Carter and his family will then travel back to Georgia from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, where there will be a private funeral service and interment in his hometown of Plains.
THCa Still Legal Until February (Tennessean)
A Nashville judge on Monday decided to allow the unregulated sale of hemp products containing THCa to continue in Tennessee until she has a better understanding of new testing requirements.
The products were set to be outlawed Dec. 26 when new Tennessee Department of Agriculture rules took effect. With Chancellor I’Ashea Myles’ ruling, THCa will products remain legal until Feb. 18, 2025, when she plans to make a final ruling in the case.
Myles wrote that “it is difficult at this juncture to say which side will prevail.”
The ruling was a relief for Tennessee’s hemp industry, which feared massive economic losses and layoffs if the rules were allowed to go into effect. The Tennessee Healthy Alternatives Association, which sued the department over the rules in late November, said in an emailed statement from its attorney Alex Carver that it was “grateful that the Court put the Department of Agriculture’s new THCa rules on hold while our legal challenge proceeds.”
“Without this injunction, the Department’s rules would have forced mass layoffs and business closures among our members by effectively outlawing products our elected officials in the General Assembly expressly legalized,” the THAA said.
Another group who sued, the Tennessee Growers Coalition, said in a statement from its attorney Alex Little that it was "pleased the court recognized the significant questions about the legality of the Department’s hemp flower and THCA ban, which jeopardized legitimate businesses and jobs statewide."
"This injunction prevents immediate harm during the holidays and ensures consumers can continue accessing these hemp products," the Tennessee Growers Coalition said.
When the Tennessee General Assembly legalized hemp in 2019, it allowed for the sale of hemp products that can mimic the effects of marijuana.
Unlike the chemical THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, the state legislature never specifically outlawed the chemical THCa, which turns into THC when ignited. THCa occurs naturally in hemp.
A new, legal industry was created to sell products with THCa and other chemicals called "hemp derived cannabinoids." That industry now brings in between $280-560 billion in sales annually and employs nearly 6,500 people in Tennessee, according to a report Myles cited in her ruling.
After years of little oversight, the General Assembly in 2023 passed a law to regulate and tax the sale of these hemp products.
The law charged the Tennessee Department of Agriculture with creating the rules for the new industry. The department’s rules, which were set to go into effect this week, called for testing the THCa levels in hemp products.
The THAA and Tennessee Growers Coalition both sued in recent weeks, arguing that the department was unilaterally banning products that the legislature had never prohibited by law.
Myles said she needs more information about the proposed testing requirements before she can issue a ruling, but she wrote that she believes “regulation of these products will ultimately protect the public good.”
Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
Rosanne Cash's journey from curiosity-driven teenage rock fandom to a Grammy and Americana Music Association award-winning and 11-time Country Music Association award-nominated musician is highlighted via the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's newest exhibition, "Rosanne Cash: Time Is a Mirror." It runs through March 2026 and is included with museum admission.
Of course, the 69-year-old performer is also the eldest daughter of Country Music Hall of Famer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian.
One of the exhibition's successes is celebrating how Rosanne Cash's acclaim arrived alongside and not wholly impacted by her father's folkloric and historic American art and life.
The exhibit will be open until March of 2026. Learn more by visiting www.countrymusichalloffame.org.