Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 10-13-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for October 13, 2026

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

We start with local news…

Eddie Hickman Honored with Naming (WKOM Audio 2:26)

Maury County Public Schools honored the life and legacy of longtime educator, coach, administrator and former superintendent Edward A. “Eddie” Hickman by officially renaming the Columbia Central High School Event Center in his memory.

The dedication brought together friends and family of the Hickman’s, Maury County Public Schools staff, and the Columbia Breakfast Rotary Club to recognize a man whose career and life were deeply connected to the students, schools, and Maury County community.

A commemorative plaque was also dedicated in Hickman’s honor. The plaque was graciously funded by the Columbia Breakfast Rotary Club in recognition of his lasting contributions to the community and Maury County Public Schools.

“Mr. Hickman’s legacy will forever live on in Maury County Public Schools and in the countless students, educators, coaches, and families whose lives he touched,” said Maury County Public Schools superintendent, Lisa Ventura.  “There could not be a more fitting place to honor his memory than here at Columbia Central High School, a school that meant so much to him and where he served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal. This event center will continue to be a place where students, families and our community come together, making it a fitting and lasting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serving others.”

Hickman was a product of Maury County Public Schools, graduating from Columbia Central High School in 1969. He began his career in education in 1973 at Hampshire Unit School as a teacher and coach and went on to serve in several schools throughout the district.

In 1988, Hickman returned to Columbia Central High School, where he spent 16 years serving as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and ultimately principal. His connection to Columbia Central and its students became an important part of a career that would span more than four decades in Maury County Public Schools.

In 2004, Hickman was named Director of Schools for Maury County Public Schools. During his tenure, he worked to strengthen academic and extracurricular programs throughout the district and was known for his hands-on leadership and strong presence at schools and athletic events.

Hickman’s passion for athletics was a defining part of his career. He spent approximately 40 years involved in school sports as a coach, administrator and supporter, emphasizing sportsmanship, discipline, and integrity. He also played an important role in strengthening middle school athletics throughout the district and advocated for opportunities and support for students and staff.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Hickman was known for his deep connection to the community he served. He regularly supported school events, fundraising efforts, and community partnerships while advocating for students, educators and programs.

Hickman passed away in April 2026, leaving behind a legacy of commitment, leadership, and service. His influence continues through the generations of students, athletes, and educators whose lives he helped shape.

“This is more than a name on a building,” Ventura said. “It is a reminder of the standard he set through his service, to show up, to lead, to support our students, and to believe in the people around you. We are grateful for the opportunity to preserve that legacy for generations to come.”

Harvey Park Playground Reopening (MauryCountySource)

Spring Hill families will have a new place to play and gather when Harvey Park Playground officially reopens Friday, Oct. 16.

The community is invited to celebrate the reopening beginning at 4 p.m., with Spring Hill Parks and Recreation bringing music and fun to mark the occasion.

The reopening offers families an opportunity to visit the playground, enjoy the festivities and spend time together at Harvey Park.

Maury County Library to Reopen (MSM)

The Maury County Library will cut the ribbon on its renovated main floor at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, celebrating a remodeling project that has been ongoing since October 2025.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett will speak at the ceremony, along with County Mayor Sheila Butt, County Commission Chairman Danny Grooms and Library Director Meghan Cyr.

“We are excited for the Columbia community to join us in seeing the wonderful updates to our library,” said Cyr. “Thanks to a grant from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development facilitated through South Central Tennessee Development District and matching funds from the County Commission, we have been able to make these much-needed updates to our facility.”

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett will speak at the ceremony, as will County Mayor Sheila Butt, County Commission Chairman Danny Grooms, Library Director Meghan Cyr and other local dignitaries.

The existing library building at 211 West 8th Street was built in 1968, and during a 1994 renovation the Children’s Library was added in the basement. The 2026 renovations to the main level gave the library state-of-the-art technology and new facilities for patrons’ use: a teen center, study rooms, a new classroom, a demonstration kitchen, technology for telehealth appointments, adult education and workforce development classes, and two areas that will accommodate small groups.

The public library grew out of the oldest literary club in Tennessee, which was formed in 1896. Over time the literary club became the Students’ Club and continued to grow, moving from the old Memorial Building to the old Post Office building (the current Memorial Building) to two rooms in the old Columbia Institute.

In 1951, largely through the efforts of the Students’ Club, the library was accredited and became affiliated with the State of Tennessee Library System. Mrs. May Evelyn Bell Stevenson became full-time librarian and Miss Elizabeth Caperton, who had been Students’ Club librarian before the accreditation, served as assistant librarian to the new Maury County Public Library.

Maury Regional Foundation to Host Survivor Lunch (Press Release)

The Maury Regional Health Care Foundation invites breast cancer survivors and community members to come together for a special luncheon celebrating survivorship, connection and hope on October 30 presented by Maury Regional Medical Group (MRMG) OB-GYN and Plastic Surgery.

The luncheon will be open starting at 11 a.m. at Antrim Celebrations, located at 2759 Pulaski Highway in Columbia with the program beginning at 11:30. The featured speaker, Brenda Frierson, is a 21-year breast cancer survivor who will share her personal journey of hope and survivorship.

Breast cancer survivors in attendance will also receive special recognition as the event celebrates their individual milestones and the community of support surrounding them.

“This event is about celebrating the courage, strength and resilience of breast cancer survivors, as well as the support networks that have stood by them through their journey,” said Foundation Executive Director Rita Thompson. “We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for making this celebration possible and, through their generosity, helping to provide vital support to more individuals facing a breast cancer diagnosis.”

Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit the Maury Regional Health Care Foundation’s Breast Center Fund, which provides resources and support for women during and after breast cancer treatment. The fund helps provide comfort items, such as wigs, head coverings, camisoles and lymphedema garments, as well as educational resources and programs designed to enhance care and quality of life.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 4.3 million women in the United States were living with a history of breast cancer as of January 2025. By 2035, that number is projected to grow by approximately 1 million — the largest increase among the 10 most prevalent cancers.

Individual tickets are $40 per person, and sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase tickets, learn more about sponsorships or support the Breast Center Fund, visit MauryRegional.com/SurvivorLunch or contact the Maury Regional Health Care Foundation at 931.380.4075. R.S.V.P. by October 16.

Carver-Smith Documentary (Press Release)

Columbia Peace and Justice Initiative (CPJI) is partnering with Columbia State Community College to host a screening of the documentary Carver-Smith: Told by Those Who Lived It. The screening will take place on Thursday, October 15th at 6:00pm in the Ledbetter Auditorium on the Columbia Campus. Admission is free.

The Columbia State History Department and the Office of Belonging and Student Resources will screen this new documentary about Columbia’s historic Black highschool, produced by the Columbia Peace and Justice Initiative and funded in part by the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Columbia Public Works Adds New Trucks (MauryCountySource)

Columbia Public Works has added two new trucks to help improve garbage and leaf collection across the city.

The Columbia City Council recently viewed the new equipment, which includes a front-loading garbage truck and an automated leaf disposal truck.

The 40-cubic-yard garbage truck will be used to empty dumpsters for the city’s commercial sanitation customers. The 25-cubic-yard leaf disposal truck is designed for bulk leaf collection and can be operated by one employee. The driver controls the suction hose from inside the cab while traveling along city routes.

The city said the new equipment will help Public Works operate more efficiently and continue providing essential services to Columbia residents.

Mt. Pleasant Middle School Plays and Plays (MSM)

As a middle schooler, Dequan Hale sat in the stands on Friday nights watching his brother, Trevion, play for the Mt. Pleasant Tigers and dreamed of playing on the same field.

But not as an athlete.

Dequan wanted to play in the band. Then he thought – why not both?

So, after joining the band as a freshman trumpet player last year, and also adding the mellophone for marching season, watching from the stands again, the younger Hale decided he wanted to try and play football this year.

“I was looking at the team last year and noticed I missed actually playing football, because I did it in my middle school years,” Hale said. “I decided I was just going to take a break my freshman year and see what I wanted to do, so that’s when I joined marching band. Of course, I had fun doing that, but I also saw football again and it made me want to do it.”

Hale joined the football team this summer for summer workouts as a linebacker and Tigers coach Kit Hartsfield said he really didn’t learn about his band involvement until a week before their first game.

“He joined the team late in the summer, this year, so I didn’t know him that well,” Hartsfield said. “But he started coming to summer workouts, and he came to every workout. He never missed. Then, coming up on game week, he asked if it was okay to leave a little bit early and go to band practice.”

At Mt. Pleasant, with an enrollment of about 440 students, it’s not uncommon for kids to be involved in more than one sport or activity at a time.

“We are a small school and there aren’t a lot of members in the band, so we definitely work with him,” Hartsfield said. “I think band was kind of his first love and then he joined football. We support that and help him any way we can.”

Mt. Pleasant third-year band director Adam McInnes echoed those sentiments.

“He’s a great player, great kid,” McInnes said. “At the same time, I’ve always tried to be as supportive as I can with my students. You’re going to have to share some kids. I think that’s just part of it. I look at it as, I would never want to deny a kid a chance to try something out that they love just because I want them in my program.”

Hartsfield said he’s had a few players pull double duty on Friday nights since taking over the program in 2021, including former Tiger Avery Johnson. 

“It shocked me the first time I saw it,” Hartsfield said. “Avery, I was looking for him at halftime, and they said, ‘he’s out on the field.’ I said ‘why?’ They said, ‘he’s doing the halftime performance with the band.’”

Last year, Thomas Meacham enrolled in band but later dropped the class, according to McInnis.

Hale said he heard about some of the former players who participated in both from the seniors on the team. 

This year, he said his teammates and bandmates help him whenever they can, assisting him with his trumpet on gameday, going over band movements and drills he misses during practice. 

“They’ve been very important, they’ve been very encouraging,” Hale said. “it’s good to know they actually support my decision to do both. They don’t make a big deal out of it, so I feel like it is very important.”

Hale’s practice schedule gets pretty intense. He splits time during the week between football and band, which take place simultaneously. Mondays and Wednesdays usually focus solely on football. On Tuesdays, football practice starts at 3 p.m., and he goes to football for an hour, then goes to band for another hour after that. Thursdays he focuses on band mostly because football ends early with a Friday game.

“As for games and competitions, good thing they fall on different days,” Hale said. “So Fridays I’m in football, I’m going to the game, I’ll play the halftime show, and on Saturdays I’ll get up early, and we’ll go to our competition for band.”

The Tigers sophomore, who sees the field sparingly, opted to miss the team’s Sept. 25 Region 5-2A game at Scotts Hill to make that day’s band rehearsal for a Saturday competition.

He also said he really appreciates the support of his parents with all the travel to and from competitions and games this year a lot to allow him to do this. 

Splitting time so far this year allowed Hale to improve at both his passions. With one helping to better an aspect of the other.

“I feel like football has helped me with band,” Hale said. “it’s improved my endurance, being able to play for longer without having to take a breath and being able to hold my instrument in a certain position for longer. Yeah, I feel like football has made me physically stronger, so it’s helped out with the marching.”

Hale’s ability to juggle both of these major responsibilities is not lost on his coach.

“It just shows, one, he’s talented,” Hartsfield said. “He is able to manage doing both things very well. It shows that he’s committed, that he’s involved. It shows that he has the right stuff to be successful after high school. It’s tough to do all of those things at the same time.”

Hale may only just be starting his high school journey athletically and musically, but he has a clear goal of the legacy he wants to leave on both.

“My main goal overall is just to be better as a person,” Hale said. “Definitely want to play in the college band. I love seeing them play. … As for football, in my time here, just be the best that I can be. To improve, to be someone they said that went from being not the very best, to being someone that you can look up to.”

CA Alumni/NASA Engineer to Speak (MSM)

Columbia Academy alumnus Dr. Phillip Allen is returning to campus on Tuesday, Oct. 13 as guest speaker for CA’s Science Night – and the community is invited to attend. NASA and space travel enthusiasts can attend to learn more about the recent Artemis II launch and trip around the moon.

Dr. Allen served as the deputy chief engineer for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He helped direct approximately 5,000 engineers and providing launch readiness for Artemis II, a flight mission that carried four astronauts around the moon in April.

Artemis II was NASA’s historic 10-day crewed lunar flyby mission that launched on April 1 and returned on April 10. It was the first time humans traveled beyond low Earth orbit and deep into space since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Dr. Allen was the Columbia Academy valedictorian (‘93), and continued his education earning engineering degrees from Freed-Hardeman University, the University of Memphis and Tennessee Technological University.

Now based in Huntsville, Alabama, he’s been working with NASA since 2003, having received numerous honors for his work.

Science Night will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 13 starting at 7 p.m. in the Upper School Auditorium.

Maury Alliance Candidate Guide (Press Release)

The Maury County Candidate Guide for the November General election is available now!

This is a great resource for Maury County residents to learn more about the candidates running for:

• Tennessee House - District 64

• Tennessee House - District 71

• Columbia City Mayor

• Columbia Vice Mayor

• Mount Pleasant Commission

Read about each candidate, learn their vision for Columbia, Mount Pleasant, and Maury County, and make an informed decision before Election Day.

View the guide online by visiting www.mauryalliance.com.

Just a reminder: early voting is October 4th-October 29th, and election day is Tuesday, November 3rd.

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

Mrs. Wilma Ruth Sparkman Ford, 91, died Saturday at Brookdale Senior Living. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Thursday from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. 

Mrs. Camille Wyman Allen, 79, formerly of Columbia, passed away on October 8. A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 16 at 11:00 AM with a visitation one hour prior at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Camille will be laid to rest in Mount Hope Cemetery in Franklin.

Mrs. Nancy Susan Cromwell Wiser, 80, a longtime resident of Columbia died Friday, October 9, 2026, at Maury Regional Medical Center. A memorial service will be conducted Friday, October 23, at 5:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. The family will visit with friends from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM at the funeral home.

And now, news from around the state…

Hatcher at Trump Rally (WilliamsonScene)

Fifth Congressional District Republican Charlie Hatcher stood in front of thousands this weekend at President Donald Trump’s midterms rally. 

He had a tailored message for the crowd. 

“I know we are facing fierce economic headwinds. Just give it a little time. We'll get that taken care of,” Hatcher said inside Clarksville’s F&M Bank Arena. 

Hatcher’s promotion of patience was specifically related to what he accurately described as “record diesel prices.”  They have risen in large part due to the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which Hatcher supports.

While the president initially promoted the war as a weeks-long military operation, it has continued for eight months. The conflict has resulted in the deaths and injuries of numerous U.S. service members.

“If we can get this war behind us and meet our objectives there — where they don't have a nuclear weapon that they can use against us, and also prevent them from having a stranglehold on the global oil economy — those are the objectives. Once they're met, we can get out of there,” Hatcher told reporters. “If that's done, President Trump would be the only president in history that's done that in the past 50 years. I think we'll have peace in the Middle East, and I think the economy will take off and everything will get better. It's contingent upon that.”

Americans are no stranger to politicians promoting Middle East wars in order to ensure Middle East peace, but on the heels of the U.S.’s longest war, most Americans disapprove of this new conflict.

“I think we can get there,” Hatcher said. “I think we're well on our way. We just need to hang on a little bit longer.”

Hatcher’s five-minute speech may have been the most important moment of the rally after Hatcher upset the then-Trump-endorsed congressman Andy Ogles during the primary, leaving Ogles to sit on the sideline of the rally while Hatcher took the stage. 

“I went through a brutal primary, and a primary is like siblings fighting, right? And when they get done with the fight, they realize they do love each other. That was my biggest takeaway from the primary,” Hatcher told rallygoers. “We cannot afford voter apathy, ladies and gentlemen, in this general election. It will get us beat. We do not want to go back to the failed Biden Democratic policies. People have short memories. They have amnesia. That needs to be the message.”

Just two weeks after his primary win, Hatcher publicly (albeit gently) questioned Trump’s move to import tariff-free foreign beef in an attempt to reduce beef prices for consumers, something that has caused public outcry from U.S. ranchers and farmers. Hatcher also quietly edited his campaign website to remove the phrase “Pro-Trump.” 

Hatcher, a Williamson County dairy farmer and former state agriculture secretary, now argues that the American beef market is “starting to stabilize.”

“The big concern is our beef cattle inventory. Our mama cows are the lowest they've been in 75 years,” Hatcher told reporters. “We got to build that back up, but farmers need a good price for their animals now with input costs, and that was one of the last bright spots of the ag industry was the beef cattle market. It took a little ding there, but it's coming back.”

Trump has taken several steps to reduce fuel prices, including an executive order for emergency tax relief on dyed diesel fuel, and entered into a diesel deal with Russia, a U.S. adversary, both of which Hatcher supports.

“I also like that President Trump is negotiating with Russia to try to import Russian diesel. I think that'll help maybe as much as anything,” Hatcher said. “So I think I like the fact that it's being addressed, and diesel is the lifeblood of our whole economy when it comes to farming, when it comes to transportation, when it comes to 18-wheelers, when it comes to food. So as those prices come down, so will [the] affordability issue will be addressed somewhat that way.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the move a “birthday gift to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin” that “gives Putin money, and he spends money only on this war. [To] kill us. Kill our children.”

When asked if the U.S.-Russia deal could undermine the U.S.-Ukraine alliance, Hatcher said he has faith in the Trump administration.

“I don't think they do anything that would jeopardize that,” Hatcher said.

“What do you think Ukrainians should think when they see this deal?” the Williamson Scene’s sister publication the Nashville Post asked.

“I think what they should think is we're trying to lower diesel prices in the U.S. and that's going to be critical for the American people and the affordability that we're trying to address,” he responded.

“Should that be at the cost of Ukrainian lives?” the Post asked. 

“I can't comment on that,” Hatcher said. “I don't know what effect it's going to have.”

Toward the end of the nearly four-hour rally, Trump was joined on the stage by Hatcher and fellow Republican congressional candidates Brent Taylor (9th Congressional District) and Johnny Garrett (6th Congressional District). Incumbent 7th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps, who won the seat in a special election last year, cemented Trump’s support of the candidates whom he called a “tremendous group of warriors.”

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will spotlight Roger Miller’s life and career in a new exhibition opening Friday, Nov. 6.

“Roger Miller: Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder” will trace the career of the Country Music Hall of Fame member, whose work as a singer, songwriter, musician, actor and Broadway composer earned him widespread acclaim. The exhibit will remain on display through March 2028 and is included with museum admission.

Miller, who lived from 1936 to 1992, became a country-pop star in the 1960s with hits including “Dang Me” and “King of the Road.” He won 11 Grammy Awards and later became the first country artist to win a Tony Award, earning the honor for his score for the Broadway musical “Big River.”

Known for both his songwriting and quick wit, Miller influenced generations of artists and counted Bill Anderson and Willie Nelson among his close friends. His work also helped shape artists including John Prine, Toby Keith and Kacey Musgraves.

Miller was inducted posthumously into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995.

Learn more by visiting www.countrymusichalloffame.org.