Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 10-20-25

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for October 20, 2025

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

We start with local news…

Ogles Quarterly Report Financially Weak (WilliamsonScene)

An Oct. 15 quarterly report from Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles shows mounting debt and weak fundraising just when his reelection bid needs a boost. Ogles reported $57,916 on hand against $70,368 in campaign debt ($20,000 of which is a personal loan, while Ogles owes the rest to firm Holtzman Vogel) through Sept. 30. Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, a Democrat, and Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatch, a Republican, are both launching bids to unseat Ogles, a former Maury County mayor and Trump acolyte who has held the 5th Congressional District seat since 2023.

Quarterly financial reports demonstrate a candidate’s momentum and popularity, particularly in turbulent political times. Money does not directly translate to votes — despite lackluster fundraising in 2024, Ogles beat out well-funded Democratic challenger Maryam Abolfazli. But it can help raise a candidate’s profile via paid ads, mailers, text blasts and events.

Legitimate challengers in the primary and general ensure a daunting and expensive year for Ogles. Hatcher’s entry into the race may also splinter Republican support (and donations). Ogles faced down a similar challenge last year against Nashville's Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston, a prolific fundraiser who targeted Ogles’ scandal-ridden first term in office. Three hours after Ogles’ quarterly filing, the Molder campaign reported $797,635 in fundraising — including more than $500,000 raised in the 24 hours after his Sept. 4 announcement, according to the campaign — and $33,762 spent. 

Ogles raised roughly $39,000 this quarter from donors and another $25,500 from PACs — legal committees that pool donations to help advance certain special interests. Missouri's U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, a fellow House Freedom Caucus member who frequently co-sponsors bills alongside Ogles, chipped in $4,000. This year, about half of Ogles’ total fundraising — $77,500 — came from PACs.

The Ogles campaign spent $57,507 between July 1 and Sept. 30. Almost $50,000 went toward GOP political consultants, some of which may be pass-throughs for direct ad buys. A niche legal defense fund set up by Ogles has also racked up significant debt this year, including another $5,376.25 to law firm Holtzman Vogel.

Sewer Capacity Forces Moratorium in Spring Hill (MSM)

A resolution to temporarily pause the acceptance of development applications that are not exempt under state or local guidelines until Nov. 17 was approved by the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen last week. 

The restriction was issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), which cited a lack of available sewer capacity. The city will stop accepting and processing new applications that are not vested, except for projects that are near completion, qualify as critical infrastructure or hold previous granted vested rights.

City Administrator Carter Napier and Development Services Director Dara Sanders introduced the proposed resolution. The sudden increase in development applications raised concerns for them and the sewer capacity, which led to the resolution. 

Board members expressed frustration and hesitation about the resolution as several noted its unfairness to the community and investors. The main concern was lack of certainty of when the applications would resume, how staff would choose projects to move forward with, and next steps.

During public comment, developers shared their concerns and offered suggestions on the matter. Patrick Pitts, a land acquisition manager and Spring Hill resident, said he worries about both community safety and the amounts of money that he and his team have. Pitts also added that he and his team, alongside other developers for the Harvest Pointe project, are designing and funding an on-site sewer system to help relieve the capacity issues. 

The executive vice president of the Homeowners Association of Middle Tennessee also voiced concern, saying that while home construction carries risks, homeowners and developers should not face the risk of losing sewer capacity after receiving capacity letters. He also noted the lack of end date, which could extend if the issue remains unsolved. 

To help address the situation, Vice Mayor Trent Linville amended the resolution to require that the suspension to expire on Nov. 18, unless extended by the board. The amendment also requires staff to report back with next steps at the time. The amendment and final resolution both passed unanimously. 

Linville said the community deserves clear and transparent answers, not uncertainty. 

Until the suspension ends, staff will provide the board with weekly reports detailing active building permits, development types and available sewer capacity. This information will also be published on the City of Spring Hill’s website dashboard for public access. 

On Nov. 17, staff will present their report to the board which includes estimated sewer capacity across all active building permits, development sites, approved and pending plans and sewer reservations. 

In other Spring Hill news…At last week’s meeting, the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Alderman discussed an agreement to upsize the June Lake sewer trunk line from 18 inches to 24 inches to accommodate future growth and development. 

CSDG, in partnership with Southeast Venture, is leading the design of the line, which will extend from the southern boundary of June Lake development to the north of the existing lift station near June Lake Pond. The proposed alignment follows Aenon Creek and spans approximately 6,000 linear feet. 

The new trunk line will serve June Lake development and allow the existing lift station to be taken offline. Assistant Spring Hill City Administrator Dan Allen recommended upsizing the line to 24 inches rather than the original proposed 18-inch line. The city will cover the cost difference. 

The library is expecting an upgrade as Library Director Dana Jurview presented an update on the conceptual design proposal, including a detailed fee breakdown and scope of work.  

Following the Aug. 18 BOMA meeting, contractors resubmitted a proposal for a basic conceptual design after completing geotechnical and environmental surveys to determine feasibility for construction adjacent to City Hall.

The costs include:  Architectural/interior design: $45,000; Site and Civil Planning: $11,000; Geotechnical and Phase I Environmental: $10,300; Total: $66,300

Contractors plan to conduct workshops with library stakeholders to define key program needs and develop site and exterior conception plans based on massing studies and plan diagrams. 

Staff will request board approval at the Oct. 20 meeting for a resolution to accept the proposed plans and designs. 

An update on the Kedron Square project performance bond was provided by CIP Director Missy Stahl, regarding an extension request for Kedron Road delays due to an AT&T light pole removal.  

A resolution to call performance bonds for Kedron Square and School Street on Oct. 14 was approved at the previous meeting due to inactivity. Developers have made significant progress, with some projects almost to completion. 

The developers are requesting a new performance bond for Kedron Road, while converting the existing performance bond into a maintenance bond. The turn lane needed for Kedron Road can’t be installed due to conflict with an AT&T pole, delaying the progress on the project. This could be extended into 2026 due to the pole removal and winter-weather conditions. 

With the board’s approval, resolutions for these changes will be presented at the Planning Commission’s Nov. 10 meeting to formalize a new performance bond and reduce the existing bond into a maintenance bond.

Academy Sports Opens Today (CDH)

Academy Sports & Outdoors will open its first Columbia location Oct. 20, joining a string of the city's newest retailers breathing new life into the former Columbia mall site.

Customers can also expect a slew of exclusive deals and events commemorating the 800 S. James M. Campbell sporting goods store's grand opening week.

Whether it is shopping for a new pair of shoes, camping and hunting essentials, or bringing a child to purchase their first fishing rod, Academy Sports features a plethora of departments stocked to meet a variety of customer interests and needs.

Store Director Shumi Salauddin said the Columbia location is unique because it is the first Academy Sports to feature an exclusive department for kids.

"If you go to Walmart or anywhere else like that, the kids' shop is very niche, or included with the adults," Salauddin said. "We took the whole thing and made our Kids Shop. There, you can buy clothing, footwear or anything kids-related all in one spot, which adds to the ease of shopping instead of having to run around all over the place."

Salauddin added that a big reason Columbia was chosen as the retail brand's new location is because of the community's proximity to the Duck River.

"We have all of these hiking trails," she said. "And with all of the construction that's being done throughout this area, nobody really has work boots, but we have a wide selection. It's the one place you can come, buy your work boots, buy something for your kids, your wife, and when you go home everybody's happy."

Employed by Academy Sports for many years, Salauddin said it is a company that "treats its staff like family," with the new Columbia location hiring approximately 60 workers.

"It's the kind of company that helps you grow," she said. "We have team members that have worked for us 40 or 50 years, lots of tenure, and they will tell you, 'Why would I want to work for another company when this one has been not just my job, but a part of my life?'"

It is also that same sense of family and community she has warmed up to after having moved from Houston, Texas to Columbia to open the store. She has also become a huge fan of local events like First Fridays and the Columbia Farmers Fresh Market.

"I love how Columbia is so family-oriented, and people are nice when you talk to them. They have a smile on their face," Salauddin said. "That is one of the biggest things I have noticed since moving to Columbia."

While the store opens to the public Monday, Academy Sports will officially kick off its grand opening starting Thursday, Oct. 23 and running through Sunday, Oct. 26.

"There are definitely going to be a lot of great deals you will want to take advantage of," Senior PR Specialist Brooke Fendley said.

Kicking things off that Thursday, Academy Sports will donate $5,000 to 20 local kids chosen by the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Tennessee. Each will receive a gift card to shop for new apparel, sports equipment and other items.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be Oct. 24.

The first 150 customers (18 and older) during grand-opening weekend will receive gift cards, while representatives from popular brands will be onsite to provide in-store demonstrations.

A few of Academy Sports featured deals include:

• 50% off Magellan Outdoors apparel

• 25% off all shoes and socks

• 25% off rods, reels and combos

Visit www.Academy.com/Columbia for a full preview of all deals and events to be featured during the grand opening.

Academy Sports in Columbia is open seven days a week, with store hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

City to Spend $2.4M on Sports Complex (CDH)

Columbia City Council has approved a grant application valued at $2.4 million to expand the Columbia Aquatics and Recreation Center (ARC) and construct a new sports complex.

The city is competing for the grant funds for the fourth time.

The expansion would include the addition of two indoor sports courts, sized for basketball, volleyball and pickleball, with the courts surrounded by a 0.10-mile walking track.

The BlueCross Healthy Place Grant, if awarded to the city, would provide the funding, with no matching funds required, Parks and Recreation Director Mack Reagan said.

"Anything that can be done indoors, we can do," Reagan said. "Basically, we are doubling the size of our facility so we can have indoor sports and recreation. It would provide a lot of needed opportunities."

This is also the fourth time Columbia has applied for the grant, though it is the first time for this project, Reagan said.

Reagan added that the two new courts would be located next to the current facility, but the walking track would connect both the new and existing areas as one big unit.

"Especially with our senior population, which is 300-plus [members], it is a place for when it is too hot, too cold or too wet, they can walk inside," Reagan said. "It just provides a lot of services and quality activities that we can increase."

Vice Mayor Randy McBroom said the walking trail would also provide an added activity for parents to utilize as their kids are playing.

"When you watch the competitions, you can still walk and watch your kids play," McBroom said.

Mayor Chaz Molder commented on the project and the ARC's success since the city's acquisition of the former Muletown Rec for $4.6 million in January of this year.

"This is, yet again, another example of this center being such an opportunity," Molder said. "There is sufficient space for this. I really hope we can do whatever we can to put our weight behind getting this grant.

"This could be just a huge game-changer for that facility and what it can do for the community in terms of hosting tournaments and having other events there that most people would not have thought we had the ability to do."

Betty’s Parkway Diner to Close (MauryCountySource)

A longtime restaurant in Columbia announced it will close.

Sharing the news on social media, Betty’s Parkway Restaurant stated, “After 36 ½ wonderful years, the time has come for me to hang it up and retire. Owning and operating Betty’s Parkway Restaurant has been one of the greatest chapters of my life — filled with loyal customers, dedicated employees, and more memories than I can count. It has been an honor to be the oldest family-owned restaurant in Maury County.”

Owner Tim Duncan continued the message by sharing that he plans to spend time with his kids and grandchildren. The restaurant is available for purchase or lease, Duncan asked those who are interested to message him. There was no exact date for the last day of service. However, in comments on the closing post, they stated they intended to be open until at least December 1st and could extend it until December 31st.

Columbia State Performance Series (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College welcomes Scott Mulvahill to the Cherry Theater on November 13 as part of the Performance Series sponsored by First Farmers and Merchants Bank.

Scott Mulvahill doesn’t just play the upright bass—he reinvents it. A genre-blending singer-songwriter, he fuses Americana, folk, jazz and experimental sounds into something truly original.

“Scott Mulvahill has reimagined what the upright bass can do, even pioneering his own DataBass instrument,” said Tammy Rosson, Columbia State director of events and alumni relations. “Joined by his incredible band, he delivers a sound that’s as inventive as it is soulful, and we’re honored to welcome him back to the Cherry Theater stage.”

A former member of Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder, Mulvahill struck out on his own with Himalayas and his groundbreaking DataBass project. Encouraged by Bruce Hornsby, he’s since taken the stage on NPR’s Tiny Desk, Mountain Stage, and TEDxNashville, collaborating with Cory Wong, Lauren Daigle, and Keb’ Mo’. Don’t miss this musical innovator live in concert.

“Scott was well-received the first time he performed in the Cherry Theater, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Columbia State,” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation. “He has continued to hone his craft through reimagining the sounds his instruments can produce; our audience will enjoy the evening!”

Tickets for each performance are priced at $35 and include all fees. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ColumbiaState.edu/PerformanceSeries.

Individuals may also contact the Performance Series ticket line at 931.540.2879, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On performance nights, the box office opens at 6 p.m. in the Kenneth and Ramona Cherry Theater, located in the Waymon L. Hickman Building on the Columbia Campus. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and all shows begin at 7 p.m. The Columbia Campus is located at 1665 Hampshire Pike in Columbia.

For more information, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/PerformanceSeries.

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

Barbara Anne Cox Roberts, 84, resident of Columbia, died Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at her residence.

No funeral services are scheduled at this time. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Now, news from around the state…

No Kings Protests (Tennessean)

Car horns blared, and American flags waved ― both right-side-up and upside-down, the symbol of a nation in distress ― as hundreds of demonstrators converged on the Tennessee State Capitol for a "No Kings" protest against the Trump administration.

The event was the second of its kind this year in Nashville, and one of 33 "No Kings" protests that were scheduled across Tennessee on Oct. 18. More than 2,000 other "No Kings" events were held across the country.

Demonstrators gathered on James Robertson Parkway at 10 a.m. They continued until well past noon. Among them was Nashville organizer and former Congressional candidate Odessa Kelly.

"They cannot steal your spirit," Kelly said, to cheers from the crowd. "You are the embodiment of the American dream. The best education we can give to our children is that we stand up for what is right. We don't bow to tyranny."

One protestor carried a giant paper Mache puppet of President Donald Trump that read "ask me about the Epstein files." Others wore inflatable costumes, dressed as bumble bees, frogs, and unicorns.

Republican pundits and officials in Tennessee like House Republican Whip Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, have dismissed the "No Kings" rallies as "the lunatic left parade[ing] around the country."

"Woke up extra thankful we dumped King George #NoKings," U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, posted on social media.

"It's really just old Democrats and Antifa doing a Trump derangement syndrome therapy march," conservative pundit Robby Starbuck posted.

Nashville resident Sara Carlson Striegel said she attended the protest because she loves America, and wants the nation's leaders to be held to their oaths to the Constitution.

"I'm a patriot. I love my country. Part of loving my country is holding it accountable when things aren't constitutional," Carlson Striegel told The Tennessean. "It's scary to think that the work that our ancestors did to fight for the beautiful experiment that is democracy is being undone in a really short amount of time."

Carlson Streigel said she is troubled by the Trump administration's draconian immigration crackdowns, which keep legal citizens like herself in fear.

"I'm a Latina. At this point, I'm driving around with my passport and my birth certificate, afraid that even as an American citizen, I could be detained at any moment because of the way that I look," Carlson Streigel said. "I'm a child of immigrants... It's really terrifying that we have to have a plan about what happens if I don't come home from work one day.

Protestors were young and old, and came from all walks of life. Children ran up and down the grassy slope behind the Capitol as their families protested on James Robertson Parkway. University student groups participated including those affiliated with Indivisible Tennessee, an activist group that protests the policies of the Trump administration.

Older protestors brought lawn chairs or sat in the shade holding signs that read slogans like "when lawmakers are law breakers, there is no law."

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Grand Ole Opry is set to mark the 100th anniversary of its November 28, 1925 inaugural broadcast with two all-star Opry member shows. November 28, 2025 marks exactly 100 years since the evening a single fiddle tune performed by Uncle Jimmy Thompson launched a legacy– more than 200 members, over 15,000 broadcasts, countless stars, millions of fans, and one enduring unbroken circle. Tickets for both shows are on sale now on opry.com.

Opry members already confirmed to appear span four generations across country, bluegrass, gospel, Americana, and comedy and include Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Mandy Barnett, T. Graham Brown, Steven Curtis Chapman, Henry Cho, The Gatlin Brothers, Vince Gill, The Isaacs, Kathy Mattea, Charlie McCoy, Scotty McCreery, Gary Mule Deer, Riders In The Sky, Ricky Skaggs, Don Schlitz, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, The Whites, Mark Wills, and more to be announced soon.