Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 1-26-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for January 26, 2026

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.

Closures

Due to the inclement winter weather there are a number of closures for today and tomorrow. Both Maury County Government Offices and City of Columbia Offices will be closed today.

Maury County Schools will be closed both today, January 26th and Tuesday, January 27th.

In our listening area, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, and Lewis County schools are closed today. Marshall and Williamson Counties are closed through the 27th.

Columbia Academy is closed today.

All Columbia State Campuses are open virtually only today.

Winter Storm (CDH)

Maury County's Office of Emergency Management reported snow began falling Jan. 24 at 7 a.m. as sleet entered the winter storm overnight Saturday into Sunday, causing widespread treacherous conditions throughout the region.

Over 200,000 Middle Tennesseans were without power the morning of Sunday, Jan. 25 at 9 a.m., as freezing rain coated the area in ice. According to Columbia Power Water Systems outage map, almost 6,000 people were without power in its Columbia and Spring Hill coverage area as of noon Jan. 25.Almost 6,500 people were without power according to Duck River Electric Membership Corporation in Maury County by noon Jan. 25.

By Tuesday, temperatures are predicted to remain frigid with a low of 10 degrees, but inching up to a high of 35 degrees.

Columbia Police Department described road conditions Jan. 24 as "deteriorating," prompting some closures along Brookmeade Drive near Walmart, advising drivers to avoid the area.

"Please, unless you must go out, stay home," CPD posted to Facebook Jan. 24. "We will continue to update."

Freezing rain exacerbated conditions coupled with dangerously low temperatures.

"Unfortunately, rainfall rates continue to increase across most of Middle Tennessee, and that's bad news for us who are on the wrong side of the freezing line," National Weather Service Nashville said Jan. 25. 

Governor Bill Lee called a state of emergency last week as crews prepared salt trucks and emergency personnel throughout the region.

Columbia Fire & Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Finley detailed how the department was gearing up for the inclement weather in a social media post last week.

"Our crews have checked our tire chains today for our apparatus," Finley said. "All of our small engines are being topped off, such as chainsaws and different things we may have to use if we have that really bad weather."

Columbia Public Works Director Jeff DeWire said crews are fully stocked with salt and brine, and are prepared to operate 24 hours a day around the clock.

First priority is primary streets, major routes and emergency corridors before moving into secondary and residential streets, he said.

Although power outages are hard to predict, Columbia Power and Water Systems assured a quick response time for power or broadband outage or potential water main breaks, Chris Yow CPWS Communications Specialist Chris Yow said Jan. 23.

"CPWS has inspected each of our facilities to ensure they are operational and has coordinated with Maury County EMA to prioritize restoration efforts in the area, as well as TVA for emergency load management," Yow said.

CPWS advises customers to set thermostats as low as comfortably possible (68 degrees or lower) to ensure the power system is not overloaded during the winter storm.

Anyone who lives in a newer home, built in the last 15-20 years, should generally be able to avoid dripping faucets, Yow said in a CPWS press release.

But homeowners are encouraged to keep their pipes and outdoor spigots are insulated and open cabinets to keep their indoor water pipes warm, CPWS says.

CPWS water services are topping off water tanks to ensure availability and pressure remain at safe levels, Yow said.

For updated power outage information, visit oms.cpws.com or the CPWS Facebook page. To report a power outage, call (931) 388-4833.

Maury County Animal Services also posted last week that it will remain closed due to weather, but expressed gratitude to staff and volunteers for ensuring animals remain safe, well fed and warm.

"We have a huge thank you going out to our staff who came in early to make sure our animals had clean kennels and food, medicine and enrichment to keep them occupied through the day," the post reads.

"Our team is the best and our animals are all tucked in nice and snug for the day. Our ACOs are on call to respond to emergencies. Please fill out an incident report found on the Maury County website under Animal Control to make a report and an officer will respond. Please stay safe and bring your pets inside."

Columbia Fire & Rescue also shared the National Association of State Fire Marshals' tips on winter storm safety:

• Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn

• Never use ovens, grills, or generators to heat your home

• Make sure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are working

• Avoid candles—use flashlights when possible

• Prepare for power outages with flashlights, batteries, and warm clothing

• Avoid travel unless absolutely necessary

"Cold weather increases the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisoning," CFR posted. Preparation and safe choices save lives."

The Family Center, 921 S. Beckett St., has set up warming stations throughout the weekend.

First United Methodist Church, 222 W. 7th St., will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

West 7th Church of Christ, 405 W. 7th St., will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The Family Center will be open until 7 a.m. Monday morning. Showers and limited laundry are also available at The Family Center. Animals will be allowed at The Family Center, but must be in crates/cages and the owners must stay with the animals at all times.

Snow Patrol Offers Rides (MSM)

With even colder weather settling in this week after the weekend’s winter blast, and at least the possibility of more dangerous traveling conditions through the winter months, a group of public-spirited Jeep owners in Spring Hill have, and continue to, offer free rides around Maury and Williamson counties to essential medical and emergency workers.

Cindy Porter, the dispatcher and coordinator for the “Snow Patrol,” and her husband Kevin run the endeavor.

The Snow Patrol is a group of Jeep owners based in Spring Hill. Each of the past seven or eight winters, after they’ve tested the ice or snow coverage on the roads, four-wheelers from the Snow Patrol get dispatched from Spring Hill to answer calls throughout Franklin, Spring Hill and Columbia.

They’re willing to call the rides off if the roads are just too frozen-over — “At some point it doesn’t matter what you’re driving,” Cindy says: “if it’s just pure ice, nobody can drive on that” — but ice mixed with snow (the forecast for the weekend) is negotiable for their Jeeps, and they’ve never been compelled to cancel the whole Snow Patrol.

Cindy Porter receives texts (she doesn’t respond to calls, direct messages, or other media) at 615-969-9687 from people who have essential-work obligations, then finds a driver among their 20 Snow Patrol volunteers and puts them in touch with the rider.

“Someone just says, ‘I can do it,'” she reports. Drivers participate as they can, in the gaps in their normal schedules. “They reach out to the person and make their arrangements, and then they text me when [the passenger is] dropped off.”

The Snow Patrol was started seven or eight years ago by Richard McLawhorn, who began by driving and performing all the dispatching (a task which Cindy took over the next year), and he eventually drew more volunteers from among the “Jeepers of Spring Hill” motor club to which he belonged.

“He always said he liked to drive in the snow, and this was his excuse to get out of the house… He was a night owl, so he would do the 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. pickups,” she recalled of McLawhorn, who recently moved out of state. “It’s going to be tough this year without him.”

Richard Godfrey has been a Snow Patrol volunteer for the last four years. He bought a Jeep as a hobbyist in 2021 and joined the Jeepers of Spring Hill.

“I bought it because it was something I had wanted for a really long time,” he told Main Street Maury. “I’d drive it around on the weekends, go four-wheeling, nothing drastic.”

Through a mutual friend in the Jeepers he met Cindy Holtz Porter, and after a trip in October she invited him to drive in the Snow Patrol the coming winter.

“‘I’ve got the time, I’ve got the vehicle, we lived up north for 14-15 years,'” reasoned Godfrey, the recently retired assistant principal of Spring Hill High School. (Snow days also freed him from work to serve in the Snow Patrol.) “So I’m comfortable driving in the snow… to get people where they need to be, so they can help [other people].”

The Snow Patrol have found themselves giving rides to many healthcare workers. On his first trip in January 2023, Godfrey took four nurses to their jobs at Maury Regional and a nursing home. (“We were packed in there pretty tightly,” he recalled.) In January 2024, he recalled that the trips started out easy, but became tricky during the six-inch snow dump that finally happened in the evening. Nevertheless, the nurse he ferried around that night requested him the next day.

One time Cindy even found herself driving a patient home: an elderly woman who had been taken to the Tri-Star Emergency Room in Spring Hill, whose family refused to cross the frozen roads to pick her up. When Cindy picked her up, the patient was wearing nothing but a hospital gown, and had to be lifted into the Jeep; at her house, they found that her live-in relative had locked the doors and gone to bed. Cindy had to pound on the windows for ten minutes to get them to open up, but it was a proud moment when she had finally brought the patient into her home.

“I don’t know what would have happened [if not for me],” she said, [but] that was one of the moments that really made my heart happy, like ‘Oh, I’m so glad we do this.'”

“We’re doing this to give back,” said Cindy’s husband Kevin Porter. “Several times the people try to give you money for gas, [but] we don’t want the money… We’ll save somebody today, and that’ll be payment enough.”

“It’s the one little thing that we can do to give back to our local community,” Godfrey said warmly.

Police Asking for Public Help in Homicide (MauryCountySource)

The Columbia Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance as detectives continue investigating the May 3, 2024 homicide of Quentin Armstrong on Midway Avenue.

Police say video evidence shows the offender outside the residence shortly before the homicide occurred. Investigators are urging anyone who recognizes the individual or has information that could help identify them to come forward.

You can view the video evidence on www.maurycountysource.com

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbia Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 931-560-1670, dispatch at 931-388-2727, or submit a tip by email to SAFETips@ColumbiaTN.gov. Information can be provided at any time.

Battle Creek Teacher Awarded (MauryCountySource)

Dr. Scott Johnson, social studies teacher at Battle Creek High School has been named a recipient of the Teaching America250 Awards by the Jack Miller Center. Dr. Johnson is among 51 educators across the United States selected to receive this honor in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Awards will allow 51 teachers from across the country to develop and implement engaging educational projects focused on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

“The Teaching America250 Award winners are introducing the next generation to the essential ideas, stories, and documents of America’s civic tradition,” said Hans Zeiger, president of the Jack Miller Center. “Through their projects, these amazing educators will make America’s 250th birthday a memorable experience for thousands of students across the country.”

The 51 teachers selected represent each state and Washington, D.C. Each recipient will receive $5,000 in funding for a project of their own design that engages students with the history of America’s founding and the ideals of the Declaration. Projects include field trips to museums and state capitals, school assemblies, student art projects, and community events. Select winners will be chosen to attend JMC’s National Summit on Civic Education or the Civic Learning Week National Forum, hosted by iCivics and the Democratic Knowledge Project. One Tennessee teacher, Scott Johnson from Battle Creek High School, was recognized.

Night of Hope for The Well Outreach (Press Release)

The Well Outreach is excited to share that Night of Hope 2026 will take place at Worldwide Stages on Saturday, February 28th at 6:00 PM. This year’s event will feature a catered dinner, a live auction, and a concert by Christian artist and Dove award winner Big Daddy Weave.  It promises to be an unforgettable evening of celebration, generosity, and community. 

Get your tickets by visiting www.thewelloutreach.org.

CSCC Reconnect (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College will host virtual Tennessee Reconnect information sessions during January.

Tennessee Reconnect is a last-dollar scholarship that provides free tuition for adults to attend a community college. The initiative is designed to help adults enter college to gain new skills, advance in the workplace and fulfill lifelong dreams of completing a degree or credential.

“Tennessee Reconnect provides a wonderful opportunity for eligible adult learners to attend Columbia State tuition-free,” said Joni Allison, Columbia State coordinator of Adult Student Services. “We offer multiple information session dates each month to allow easy access for prospective students who would like to begin or return to college.”

To be eligible for Tennessee Reconnect, students must meet the following requirements:

• Haven’t earned an associate or bachelor’s degree.

• Have been a Tennessee resident for at least one year.

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and be determined as an independent student.

• Be admitted to Columbia State and enroll in a degree or certificate program.

• Must attend at least part-time (6 credit hours).

To view the full list of steps to apply or to sign up for an information session, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Reconnect.

For more information, contact Allison at 931.540.2655 or by email at jallison6@ColumbiaState.edu. 

Maury Business Guide (Press Release)

Explore why Maury County is an ideal destination for businesses, professionals, and families in the latest issue of Maury County Business! This annual guide highlights our vibrant community, thriving business scene, and enviable quality of life. Whether you're a prospective resident, entrepreneur, or site selector, this must-read publication offers insights into what makes our region special.

Here’s how you can connect:

• Read Online: Visit [livability.com/maury-county] to explore unique stories about living, working, and thriving here.

• Print Copies: Contact the Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance located at

Join us in celebrating and sharing Maury County’s remarkable qualities, and thank you to our advertising sponsors for making this possible!

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…

Marjorie Imogene “Jean” Wilson Childrey, passed away at her home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on January 20, 2026, following a short illness.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, January 30, 2026 at 1:00 P.M. at Highland Park Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Thursday from 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home and Friday from 12:00 P.M. till the time of service at Highland Park Baptist Church.

Mary Ernestine “Ernie” Galbreath, age 84, passed away on January 23rd.

Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends from 12:00 p.m. until the service time. 

Betty Lynn Brooks passed away peacefully on January 21st in Nashville at age seventy-five.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on February 21, 2026, at Belmont United Methodist Church, 2007 Acklen Ave., Nashville, TN 37212. The family will receive visitors beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the church prior to the service. Afterwards, a private interment for the family will be held in Santa Fe.

Now, news from around the state…

BNA One of Most Affected Airports (Tennessean)

As what forecasters were warning could be the worst winter storm of the season settled over the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S. on the morning of Jan. 24, a flurry of flight delays and cancellations nationwide came with it.

Nashville International Airport landed among the top three most-affected airports thus far, according to aviation data tracker Flight Aware.

The Federal Aviation Administration, air traffic controllers and airlines typically keep BNA's flights on a tight schedule, with a less than 1% cancellation rate and average departure delay under 30 minutes. While the airport and airlines have been working for the last week to prepare for the first snow storm of 2026, an increase in cancellations and delays was inevitable.

Fifty nine percent of flights out of BNA were canceled on Jan. 24, totaling 146 outbound aircrafts that will now stay put. Meanwhile, about 1% of the outgoing flights still set to take off experienced delays.

“Because each airline is assigned specific gates, a delay in one scheduled departure can create a ripple effect, delaying the next arriving aircraft assigned to that same gate,” airport officials said.

Travelers attempting to fly into Nashville on Jan. 24 faced similar dismal chances as 72% of U.S. flights scheduled with a destination for Music City were canceled.

While the snow and freezing rain puts a stop on some of Nashville's air traffic, it's affects are reverberating nationwide. Across the country on Jan. 24, there were more than 12,000 delays and almost 4,000 cancellations. For comparison, the U.S. generally averages about 5,600 delays and 340 cancellations per day.

Gas Prices (MSM)

Gas prices across the state fluctuated higher last week, rising five cents, on average. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $2.49 which is a penny less expensive than one month ago and 31 cents less than one year ago.  

“The last few weeks we’ve seen a cycle of our state gas price average rising one week and declining the next. Thankfully these shifts have been more marginal,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Even with fluctuating prices, drivers are still seeing pump prices over 30 cents cheaper than this time last year.” 

Tennessee now 12th least-expensive market in the nation.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Saturday, February 14, 11 a.m. — Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage will present, A Presidential Valentine: The Love Story of Andrew & Rachel Jackson: This daylong event, which is included with General Admission tickets, will highlight Rachel and Andrew Jackson’s fascinating, controversial, and deeply passionate love story. Related activities will include two screenings of the 1953 film The President’s Lady, a gallery talk, flower arrangements with the Hermitage’s Historic Garden Manager Kimberly Weeks, a presentation and feeding of the property’s horses — an animal that Andrew Jackson greatly admired— and kids’ crafts. Register at www.thehermitage.com to reserve a spot.