All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
Car Accident (WKRN.com)
One person was critically injured in a multi-vehicle crash that sent one car down a wooded embankment in Maury County Thursday.
According to the Maury County Fire Department, units responded to a report of a head-on collision involving three vehicles along Pulaski Highway near Valley Creek Road on Thursday, Nov. 30.
When crews arrived at the scene, they said they found two people trapped in a car down a 15-foot embankment.
Fire officials said first responders used chainsaws to remove several trees before deploying a “3:1 haul system” to bring the individuals to the road.
One person was reportedly flown to a trauma center in critical condition. There is no word on their current status.
The department thanked the bystanders who cleared large pieces of debris from the road so emergency vehicles could get closer, as well as the bystander who held the lighting for first responders throughout the rescue.
Fire officials also expressed their appreciation for the personnel from the Maury County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), and Maury Regional Emergency Medical Services for conducting the haul operations on the rope system during the operation.
Reflections Eye Care (WMOM Audio 1:53)
On Friday, Reflections Eye Care in Spring Hill held a celebration for their 2nd anniversary. Front Porch Radio’s Mary Susan Kennedy stopped by the office and spoke to Dr. Sharon Adhami…
Slothful Waffle Grand Opening (WKOM Audio 2:00)
On Friday, the Slothful Waffle held their grand opening at the Factory at Columbia. WKOM/WKRM’s Delk Kennedy stopped by the ribbon cutting and spoke to proprietor Jacob Williams…
Columbia Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting (WKOM Audio 6:50)
On Saturday evening, Columbia held its 37th Annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting. With more is our own Delk Kennedy…
Leadership Maury Scholarship Winner (CDH)
Columbia State nursing student Valecia Puckett was recently awarded as the first recipient of the Leadership Maury Class of 2022 endowed scholarship through the Columbia State Community College Foundation.
“As a graduate of Leadership Maury, I was glad to participate with fellow alums in creating this scholarship,” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation. “The Columbia State Foundation is excited to introduce the first student recipient to representatives of Leadership Maury.”
As part of their class project, members of Leadership Maury Class of 2022 were determined to establish a scholarship to support and encourage students residing in Maury County in continuing their education. Other alums of Leadership Maury and friends joined with them to accomplish this goal. The scholarship was created to assist Maury County residents who are enrolled in a degree or certificate program of study.
Puckett, a Spring Hill resident, is the first recipient of the endowed scholarship.
“I chose to go to Columbia State because the community seems so close and more interested in my success than at a big, traditional four-year college,” said Puckett. “I also know that the nursing program here is very flexible to my needs as a student.”
Upon graduating, Puckett plans on transferring to the University of Tennessee Southern to pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing. She hopes to eventually join the Air National Guard to be an OB-GYN or psychiatric nurse, or become a nurse practitioner.
“Each year, the Leadership Maury class selects a class project to benefit the community,” said Kara Williams, director of the Maury County Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Maury coordinator. “I am very proud of the Class of 2022 for selecting an endowment scholarship at Columbia State, one of the greatest assets in Maury County. This will continue to touch students’ lives for years to come. Congratulations to the first recipient!”
“I would definitely recommend Columbia State because of how small it is and how many campuses there are,” said Puckett of her time at Columbia State. “They are very flexible when helping you with your specific needs. I had a rough time transitioning and adjusting to the college life and the professors and advisors here really helped me get to where I am today. I really enjoy this school and there’s something for everybody.”
Visit ColumbiaState.edu/Foundation/Give for more information.
Ransom Restaurant (Press Release)
Columbia welcomes a distinctive addition to its culinary scene with the grand opening of Ransom Spirits and Provisions on December 15th, 2023. This chef-inspired tapas restaurant and signature cocktail bar, nestled in a historic alley between two 90-year-old buildings in historic downtown Columbia, offers a unique blend of flavors and ambiance.
Ransom Spirits and Provisions introduces a culinary adventure with its tapas-style menu, curated by an experienced chef. The menu showcases a fusion of flavors that promises a delightful journey for food enthusiasts.
Ransom is a partnership endeavor between Derek Barrentine, Daniel Petersen, and Josh Rosanbalm. Peterson shared his thoughts on the importance of embracing community, “Ransom Spirits and Provisions is a Columbia 1st endeavor. Our time in Columbia over the last two years renovating the Foster Building and the Columbia Arts Building has brought us to realize that this has become our community. Columbia is definitely a town where community is more than just an ideal and we want to contribute to that, as we become an integral part.”
Step into an atmosphere where metallic brass painted brick walls, rose-covered velvet banquettes, and marble tables create an elegant and inviting setting. Designed, owned, and run by three business partners and longtime friends, the establishment embodies a shared vision of culinary excellence and unreasonable hospitality.
The festivities continue with an official end-of-the-year ribbon-cutting ceremony and a ticketed New Year's Eve cocktail party. Guests can indulge in hors d’oeuvres and toast to the midnight hour with a champagne celebration. The establishment offers an enchanting setting to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.
Ransom Spirits and Provisions has exciting plans for the upcoming spring—introducing a private event loft on the second level. This addition will provide a unique space for private parties and celebrations, adding another layer of exclusivity to the Ransom experience.
Learn more and make reservations by visiting www.ransomcolumbia.com.
And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…
Cavalyn Nancy Muller, 83, Educator for Maury County schools and resident of Columbia, died on December 2, 2023 at Maury Regional Hospital.
Funeral services will be scheduled at a later date. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family.
Welcome back to Southern Middle Tennessee Today on WKOM, 101.7 and WKRM 103.7. This program is sponsored in part by George Vrailas and the great team at The Way Realty. I’m Tom Price.
…And now, news from around the state…
Covenant Families May Intervene (TennesseeLookout)
The Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church and parents of children at the school can intervene in the legal fight to obtain records related to the mass shooting that claimed the lives of three children and three adults at school on March 27, the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.
The ruling allows the school, church and families, who oppose the release of the shooter’s writings and other records, to remain active parties in an ongoing public records lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court brought by two news organizations, a state senator and a gun-rights group who argued the records belong to the public.
Those groups opposed the intervention of the school, church and families, who have argued the shooter’s writings could endanger school security, encourage copy-cat actors and add to the trauma already experienced by children and staff at the school, where shooter Audrey Hale unleashed 152 rounds in the span of less than 15 minutes before being killed by Metro Nashville police officers.
Davidson County Chancellor I’Ashea Myles ruled the groups could intervene and agreed to pause the proceedings until the Court of Appeals could rule. The ruling allows the case to resume. Metro officials have thus far denied records requests, citing an ongoing investigation.
Justice O’Connor Dies (TNLookout)
The first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court is dead at 93.
Sandra Day O’Connor, a groundbreaking justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, died Friday in Phoenix, Arizona of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness, according to an announcement from the court.
President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor in 1981, and she was confirmed by the full Senate, 99-0, in September of that year.
The moderate O’Connor, who served on the bench until her retirement in 2006, was often the decisive vote in major cases that reached the Supreme Court in her nearly quarter-century as associate justice.
The justices issued rulings in high-profile cases during O’Connor’s tenure, including Bush v. Gore, which settled the 2000 presidential contest in George W. Bush’s favor, and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, a 5-4 decision that affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion but with leeway for states to impose some restrictions. O’Connor sided with the majority in both cases.
“She was consequential,” journalist and historian Evan Thomas told the National Archives in 2019 while promoting his biography “First: Sandra Day O’Connor.”
She cast the so-called “swing vote” 330 times in 24 years, Thomas said.
“And where it really mattered was in abortion rights and affirmative action,” he said, referring to several cases, including Grutter v. Bullinger, which upheld the consideration of race in the University of Michigan’s law school admissions.
In 2022, O’Connor’s successor, Justice Samuel Alito, wrote the majority opinion overturning Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Roe v. Wade, striking down abortion rights at the federal level.
Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
This year, CBS will be presenting NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE: NASHVILLE’S BIG BASH, hosted by GRAMMY®-nominated artist Elle King and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT’s Rachel Smith. Additionally, King joins the performance lineup and will play her hits live from the Bicentennial Mall stage. The five hour star-studded celebration to ring in the new year will air LIVE from Music City, Sunday, Dec. 31st on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+.
The star-studded entertainment special will feature nearly 50 high-energy performances by country music’s hottest superstars, including Thomas Rhett, Lynyrd, Skynyrd, Lainey Wilson and more. The five-hour broadcast will cross multiple time zones, with the traditional countdown at midnight, ET, culminating with the renowned Nashville music note drop and fireworks at midnight, CT.
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