Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 10-20-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for October 20, 2026

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

We start with local news…

Republic Bank Donates to CSCC Baseball (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College would like to announce Republic Bank as the official sponsor of student engagement activities for the 2026-2027 academic year. They have also presented a check to Columbia State to support the Chargers Baseball program.

Columbia State’s Student Engagement and Services Department is involved in an estimated 200 events and over 100 student development initiatives each year, with events including the Adulting 101 series, Weeks of Welcome, Spring Fest and the Lunch and Learn Career Industry Podcast.

In September, the Adulting 101 workshop series featured a lunch and learn session covering basic budgeting. Past workshop sessions have included car safety, insurance, filing taxes, healthy eating, renting and first-time home buying. Support from Republic Bank means more Adulting 101 sessions and other student activities can occur.

“It’s been great to have their support, and it goes beyond the financial,” said Tia Miller, Columbia State director of Student Leadership and Development. “They bring expertise and connections to experts on topics our students want to learn more about. It’s reassuring to know that the folks coming to our campuses to talk with our students are providing them with quality information and resources to meet them where they are. The partnership with Republic Bank has been fantastic all around over the last several years.”

“We appreciate the commitment Republic Bank has made to helping our students grow,” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for Advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation. “We know that engaging learning opportunities outside of the classroom provide interactions that help develop skills students need. Athletics provides similar experiences. Republic Bank helps us focus on student success.”

In addition to their sponsorship of student engagement events, Republic Bank has also contributed to Columbia State’s Chargers Baseball program. This funding helps expand upon the college’s athletics program, reinforcing Republic’s support for students’ involvement at the college.

“While students are at Columbia State working on their education and planning their future, a big piece of that future is their financial future,” said Chad Hart, Republic Bank Tennessee market president. “As we learned about some of the programs that were offered here at Columbia State and preparing our next generation of leaders, we thought it was just a perfect fit for us to come on board and support student services and activities. It's now grown to expand into supporting the growth of the athletics program and the future student-athletes that are coming through the school. It's just part of who we are as Republic Bank, being truly a member of our community.”

“The role of community banks is to enhance the community that they are trying to serve, and this investment to Columbia State helps us with our mission to help our communities to grow and thrive, especially with the financial workshops that we are providing to the students,” said Luis Parodi, Republic Bank vice president, senior regional CRA and community development officer. “We believe that will have a long-term impact on the lives that we're trying to serve in this community. Also, as a Columbia State Foundation board member, I want to encourage other businesses and organizations in the area to collaborate and help our future leaders, not only with resources, but also sweat equity, volunteer hours and other resources to help our future leaders to be successful in their careers.”

To learn more about student activities at Columbia State, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/campus-life. And to find out more about Columbia State’s baseball program, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/baseball.   

Maury Regional Drug Take-Back (Press Release)

Maury Regional Health, in partnership with the Maury County Sheriff’s Office and Maury County Prevention Coalition, will host a free drug take-back event Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering community members a safe and anonymous way to dispose of expired, unused or unneeded prescription medications.

A drive-thru drop-off will be available in the Building B parking lot on the Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) campus at 1222 Trotwood Ave. in Columbia. Members of MRMC’s security team and the Maury County Sheriff’s Office will collect medications directly from vehicles for proper disposal. The service is free and anonymous, with no personal information required.

The event will also feature family-friendly activities hosted by the Maury County Prevention Coalition and Maury County Sheriff’s Office, including face painting, a slide and a free lunch of grilled hot dogs.

The drug take-back will be held rain or shine. Family activities will be available weather permitting.

“We are pleased to once again offer our community a convenient and safe way to dispose of unused, expired or unneeded medications,” said Scott Nations, MRMC security director. “We encourage residents to take advantage of this important opportunity.”

Proper disposal of unused or unwanted medications can help prevent accidental poisoning and misuse while also helping protect the environment.

Only medications in pill or patch form will be accepted. Items should remain in their original containers, if possible. Liquids, needles and sharps cannot be accepted.

For more information, contact the Maury Regional Medical Center Security Department at 931.381.1111, ext. 4327.

Grace House (MSM)

For families facing homelessness, finding a place to stay is only the beginning. At Grace House, a transitional shelter serving women and children in Maury County, the goal is to help families find stability, rebuild their lives and discover a sense of belonging along the way.

An expansion of The Rooms in the Inn, Grace House opened its doors in December 2025, adding four units for families in need. Eight months later, the organization is continuing to grow, exploring new ways to support the families it serves and strengthen its mission.

Executive Director Samantha Baugus and the organization’s board have been discussing future expansions, new projects and opportunities to make a lasting impact. One recent addition to that effort is the Rev. Tod Bell, pastor of Sweetwater Church, who began leading Grace House’s spiritual ministry in August.

For Bell, the opportunity represents another chapter in a faith journey marked by unexpected turns, personal challenges and a renewed willingness to follow where God leads.

Born in Nashville and raised in Brentwood, Bell grew up attending church but said he did not come to know the Lord personally until he was 24 years old. He initially pursued career ministry before spending years sharing the gospel in different ways. Eventually, he helped lead a church in Franklin alongside Gov. Bill Lee and several other men.

Bell later stepped away from ministry to start a business. However, in 2012, a conflict with his business partner left him with nothing and ultimately led to a 10-year break from ministry.

After a conversation with God and a willingness to let his faith guide him again, Bell gradually found his way back. Although he was initially reluctant to return to ministry, he began leading Bible studies and helping friends navigate their own faith journeys. Those small steps eventually led him to become the pastor of Sweetwater Church.

His connection to Grace House came through Justin Hicks, a board member who also participates in Bell’s men’s group. When Hicks learned that former Grace House pastor Jeff Kane was retiring, he approached Bell about taking on the role.

“He called me one day and said Jeff Kane is retiring and the board wants to do good things for the families while keeping Jesus in the middle of it,” Bell said. “We feel like a church needs to have a relationship with it; would you consider it?”

Bell accepted the opportunity and has since focused on building relationships with the families, taking time to understand their individual experiences and establish trust.

“We are approaching everything relationally and sharing stories, which is super important,” Bell said. “That way I am not just boxing you into a certain category or description, but I’m knowing you as a valuable individual.”

Bell brings eight years of experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. Rather than defining people by their circumstances, he hopes to create an environment where families feel understood, supported and valued.

That approach also shapes his vision for the partnership between Grace House and Sweetwater Church. Through the partnership, church members will have opportunities to support the families, while residents will also be welcomed into the Sweetwater community.

For Bell, the mission begins with making sure families have a place where they can feel comfortable enough to begin moving forward.

“I want them to be safe, comfortable, cozy, and someplace that they can chill and relax while being at ease, as they probably haven’t felt that way in a while,” Bell said.

As Grace House continues to develop its programs and consider future opportunities, Bell, Baugus and the board are working toward a shared goal: helping families move beyond temporary shelter and toward lasting stability and independence.

With new relationships taking shape and the organization looking ahead, Grace House is continuing its work to ensure families have not only a place to stay, but also a community ready to walk alongside them as they rebuild.

Maury County Toy Collector (MSM)

As a baby-boomer in the 1960s, Larry Johns rarely received many toys under the family Christmas tree.

But over the past two decades or so, the 71-year-old Maury County native has been catching up. His home is bursting with vintage toys mostly from the 1940s through the 1970s. It’s quite possible that he might have the best private toy museum in the Volunteer State.

“Price don’t mean nothing to me. There’s no rhyme nor reason why I collect what I collect. If I see it and I like it, I buy it,” said Johns.

“We didn’t get a whole bunch of toys when I was young. I remember watching TV one day and seeing a DX Getaway Chase Game (a 1960s racing car set) for Christmas from my mom. I think that’s why I got into collecting toys. I remember really wanting toy cap guns and never got one. If they didn’t have it at Western Auto or in the Sears-Roebuck catalog, I didn’t know nothing about it.”

If you’re age 50 or older his collections of antique and retro toys will knock your socks off and definitely take you back to the days of your youth. His toy treasure trove ranges from old marbles, coloring books, Crayons, board games, cap pistols, lunchboxes and stick ponies.

Queried to how many toys he has, Johns confessed, “Well over a thousand, 1,500 maybe. I’ve got three rooms: a 16×32-foot-room with shelves around the walls and double shelves in the middle of the room; a game room with a whole wall of shelves; and in my office, I’ve got shelves on three walls.”

The former home builder, who constructed 504 houses, was born on the farm he lives on, which was once his grandfather’s property. A graduate of Columbia Central High School, he spent his first 11 years attending school at Hampshire. These days, other than raising and selling hay, he’s retired and still expanding his magnificent menagerie of toys.

“I collected a lot of other stuff, but I didn’t start collecting toys until about 20 years ago. I’d go to the Nashville Flea Market every month and go to antique stores. I know every antique store within a day’s drive,” he said.

“I’ve only bought three or four things from eBay. It’s much more fun to touch and see it before you buy it. The real good toys were expensive, but I decided that’s what I wanted to collect. I’ve got a very extensive marble collection and started going to the marble shows.”

His most prized toy?

“I don’t know that I can name it,” he said, but added, “I’ve got a Marx Toy Co. Lonesome Pine windup camper and car that I really like from the 1940s.

“The oldest toy I’ve got is a World War I toy Army tank that still looks pretty doggone good and still winds up and works, and I like cast-iron toys. I love Buddy L cars and trucks and lead soldiers. If it’s a toy, I’ve probably got one of that kind. I don’t discriminate. I like the space toys, robots, spaceships and ray guns.”

He mentions one toy that he would dearly like to get his hands on.

“When I was a little boy, a preacher was visiting at our house, and he give us kids a Flintstone Playset. I’ve looked for that and looked for that. I don’t collect pedal cars, but I’ve got a picture of me and my brother sitting on a little 1950s station wagon pedal car when we were boys, and I looked for it for years and years and found one about three years ago.” 

Board games are also targets on the top of his wish lists.

“I have at least 400 of those. From here on I just collect those ones that were TV shows. Most of them have all the parts and pieces. I remember one Christmas the five of us kids got a Monopoly game. After we’d get through playing there would be a fuss who would put it up, and it was not long till all the pieces were missing. If I find a board game with all of the pieces still there, I think that’s amazing,” he says, pointing to several 1960s TV show board games that include “The Flintstones,” “The Flying Nun,” “Ben Casey M.D.,” “Petticoat Junction” and “McHale’s Navy.”

Johns was also a big fan of the TV westerns that rode the range in the 1950s and 1960s. He can slap leather with a corral full of 16 cowboy cap pistols with their holsters and to boot he has more than 100 other cap guns.

He recalled, “The very first thing I ever collected was when my dad and I were digging up creek gravel, and I found a soft-drink bottle called Nu-Icy.”

Today he has hundreds of old soft-drink bottles sitting in his workshop, most of them dating back into the mid-20th century. In the same building, he has plastered the inside walls with more than 100 potato burlap tow sacks that have come from across the U.S.     

As for what happened to the few toys he did receive during his boyhood, he said, “I don’t have a one, but I do have my very first Bible that I got from my first-grade Sunday school teacher.”

Johns and his wife have raised four children and have nine grandkids. Do any of them enjoy his collections?

“Not that I can tell,” he admitted. But that doesn’t bother the Maury County toy man, who is still on the prowl for more vintage playthings.

“This is my hobby: antiques,” Johns says with a big grin. “It’s fun to keep the legacy of this era. I feel like I’m preserving it for the next generations.”

CSCC Announces Performance Series (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College welcomes The Jazz Legacy Project to the Cherry Theater on October 22 as part of the Performance Series sponsored by First Farmers and Merchants Bank.

Through vivid imagery, compelling storytelling and timeless music, this dynamic concert honors the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald. Featuring The Jazz Legacy Project’s outstanding ensemble and acclaimed vocalist/actor Maria Howell (“The Color Purple”, “Hidden Figures”), the evening blends history and artistry in a way that feels both classic and fresh.

“Beautiful musicianship and compelling storytelling come together in this celebration of an American legend,” said Tammy Rosson, Columbia State director of events and alumni relations. “Whether you love jazz or are simply discovering it, this unforgettable performance brings Ella Fitzgerald’s story and music to life in a way that will move and delight you.”

From beloved standards to behind-the-music moments, this tribute celebrates a voice that shaped American music and still resonates today.

“Join us for a night celebrating the artistry of Ella Fitzgerald, the ‘First Lady of Song’,” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation. “Her interesting life and legendary music will combine for an evening of great entertainment. Your attendance helps support the performing arts in our community.”

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

Individuals may also contact the Performance Series ticket line at 931.540.2879.

On performance nights, the box office opens at 6 p.m. near 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. Parking is free.

Prior to performances, guests are encouraged to visit the Pryor Art Gallery, located across from the Cherry Theater in the Hickman Building, to see the latest exhibit.

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

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

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…

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees (Tennessean)

Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet and The Stanley Brothers entered the Country Music Hall of Fame on Oct. 18, during a special night filled with music, memory and much-deserved recognition. 

The annual "Medallion Ceremony" held at Nashville's CMA Theatre featured performances from Billy Strings, Blake Shelton and Lainey Wilson, among others, plus heartfelt speeches about the contributions of each new Hall of Fame member.

McGraw, who recounted the story of arriving in Nashville on a Greyhound bus in 1989 with just one suitcase and a guitar he could barely play, told the crowd he is grateful to his wife, Faith Hill, and hopes his achievements will be remembered as an inspiration.

“Someday I hope some kid pulls into town with everything they own in a suitcase and dreams too big to fit it in," he said, adding that maybe that kid would hear one of his songs. "Getting here comes with a cost. But standing here tonight in front of all of you, in front of all of my heroes that are on these walls. In this moment tonight, it's worth it."

Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young explained the enduring impact of each artist during a history-filled three-hour ceremony. He was speaking to a high-profile audience which included influential music industry figures, as well as Hall of Fame members like Randy Travis, John Anderson, members of The Oak Ridge Boys and others.

The Stanley Brothers, Ralph and Carter, were the first to be honored. Known as two of bluegrass’s founding fathers, the Virginia natives began their career in 1946 pairing old-time mountain music with gospel and unmistakable "blood" harmony. Carter died in 1966 but Ralph carried on with The Clinch Mountain Boys, influencing artists from Dwight Yoakam to Bob Dylan and beyond. They were inducted in the Hall's "Veteran Era Artist" category.

Young noted that the "enduring popularity" of bluegrass is thanks in large part to The Stanley Brothers, and that if their songs had a theme, it would be "perseverance." Their legacy was celebrated through performances by jam-grass superstar Billy Strings, as well as Hall of Fame members Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill and "The First Ladies of Bluegrass," Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Alison Brown, Missy Raines and Becky Buller.

Gill delivered the duo's formal induction, saying "I tried my whole life to sing like Ralph Stanley." The children of Ralph and Carter accepted the honor with Ralph's daughter Lisa Stanley Marshall saying she believed they had "earned it a long time ago."

Songwriter Paul Overstreet entered the Hall of Fame in the "Songwriter" category, honored for a remarkable career which helped shape the sound of the '80s and '90s. The Mississippi native co-wrote 13 No. 1s including country standards like Randy Travis' “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “On the Other Hand," Keith Whitley's “When You Say Nothing at All” and The Judds' “Love Can Build a Bridge.”

Also one of the writers behind fun-loving songs like Kenny Chesney's “She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy” and Blake Shelton's “Some Beach," Young said Overstreet has a knack for music with hope and optimism. Shelton agreed, cracking the audience up as he took the stage and explained his longtime hope to cut one of the Grammy-winning writer's songs. He thought it would be something profound, but when he finally got the chance, it was the lighthearted-but-memorable, "Some Beach."

"But I'm proud of it!" Shelton said just before performing the song. Hall of Fame members Dean Dillon and Tanya Tucker also honored Overstreet, along with Jamey Johnson. Tucker delivered a side-splitting formal induction, saying she put off an E.R. visit to celebrate a loyal friend.

"I got internal bleeding and my lung might be collapsed, but I’m here," she joked. Tucker also said Overstreet's work speaks for itself. "Every line, not just the titles or the hooks, but every well-written line was always straight from that big old heart of his," she explained.

Finally, McGraw was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame's "Modern Era Artist" category. He was recognized as a superstar who helped bring country into a new millennium, with 29 No. 1s and 106 million song copies sold from the early '90s on.

The Louisiana native has never been known as a songwriter. Instead, McGraw has proved himself an expert song stylist with an instantly recognizable voice, and the ability to capture both country's feel-good side (like he did with “Where the Green Grass Grows”) and its emotional weight (“Live Like You Were Dying," “Humble and Kind”). McGraw has also recorded some of the most enduring duets in country history with Hill, who was seated alongside her husband and his mother in the front row.

Young called out McGraw's creative fearlessness, citing collaborations with Nelly and Florida Georgia Line. "Over the course of an astounding four-decade career, [McGraw] has broadened the horizons of country music forever, and for the better," he explained.

McGraw has also inspired generations of new country stars, including Parker McCollum, who performed "Don't Take the Girl" as McGraw and Hill looked on. Lady A delivered a rousing rendition of "Live Like You Were Dying," which McGraw recorded just weeks after his biological father, MLB All-Star Tug McGraw, died of cancer. The uplifting anthem had an extra element of meaning since Lady A member Charles Kelley was himself recently diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer, called multiple myeloma.

Lainey Wilson also had a meaningful performance to share, singing "Just to See You Smile." She grew up near McGraw's hometown in Louisiana and has long counted him a hero.

It was Alabama's Randy Owen who had the honor of welcoming McGraw into the Hall of Fame. Dressed in a dark red tuxedo and black cowboy hat, McGraw stood at the lectern and admitted he would likely cry, as a roar of applause filled the hall. He thanked his fans, his team, and his family, making a special point to call out Hill, his wife of 30 years. He said the only thing sweeter than this moment would be the one which is surely coming, when Hill is inducted into the Hall of Fame, too.

McGraw spoke of the hard work he put in and the help he had along the way, and said he hopes to pay it forward. He also returned to the story of his first night in Nashville, in May of 1989 when he was 22 years old. The hopeful young singer found out the next morning that his hero, Keith Whitley, had died that very night, at a tragic 34 years old.

"Now, some people might call that a bad omen, but I've come to believe it was something else," McGraw said, adding he feels Nashville was telling him that a life in music costs something. "The people who make it give everything that they've got. And if you're lucky enough to make it down the road, you owe it to the ones who didn't and the ones who paved the way for you."

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Columbians of the past come to life at their gravesites for GHOSTS OF GREENWOOD, a special candlelit historic cemetery tour on Friday, October 23rd, 2026, at 5:30 pm at the Greenwood Cemetery (403 N Garden St, Columbia, TN 38401)!

Meet men and women like Ophelia Polk Hayes, James K. Polk’s notoriously hot-headed sister; Sarah McNeill, the first victim of the 1844 “black tongue” epidemic, and more.

DETAILS: Guides will lead tours through the cemetery to featured gravesites where Columbians will “come to life” to share their stories. Tours start every thirty minutes. Please check email and the Polk Home & Museum social media accounts for weather-related announcements.

The James K. Polk Home & Museum, in partnership with Watershed Public Theatre are pleased to be hosting this event. Our 5:30pm and 6:00pm tours will take place before it is fully dark, making it an ideal time for younger children and guests who would like more visibility to navigate the cemetery.

Greenwood Cemetery, established in 1809, is the oldest public cemetery in Columbia, Tennessee.

This event is family-friendly!

All proceeds benefit the James K. Polk Memorial Association, the nonprofit organization that preserves and operates the President James K. Polk Home & Museum. Special thanks to the City of Columbia!

Learn more at www.jameskpolk.com.