Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 10-6-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for October 6, 2026

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

We start with local news…

Hickman to be Honored with Naming Ceremony (Press Release)

Maury County Public Schools will honor the late Columbia Central High School principal, and Maury County Public Schools superintendent, Edward A. Hickman, in a ceremony to officially rename the Columbia Central High School Event Center in his memory.

 The ceremony will also include the dedication of a commemorative plaque honoring Mr. Hickman and his enduring contributions to Maury County Public Schools. The plaque was graciously funded by the Columbia Breakfast Rotary Club in recognition of Hickman’s lasting impact on the community.

When: Friday, October 9, 7:00 a.m.

Where: Columbia Central High School

                  921 Lion Parkway

                  Columbia, Tennessee 38401

Gov. Beshear Backs Molder (WilliamsonScene)

Parking was scarce on Richland Avenue in Nashville on Saturday as popular Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joined forces with congressional hopeful Chaz Molder, mayor of Columbia, for a high-powered Nashville fundraiser. The Molder campaign bagged another $120,000, continuing a strong fundraising operation that has raised more than $2.5 million since September 2025. Beshear, a Vanderbilt graduate, barely concealed his own White House aspirations at the event with several carefully phrased comments.

The two chummed up football rivalry between Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee — Molder’s alma mater — and stressed their shared position as Southern Democrats in states that overwhelmingly voted for President Trump in 2024.

“ I am living, breathing proof that a Democrat can win anywhere, we should be fighting everywhere, and we will deliver this race for Democrats,” Beshear told a packed room Saturday morning. “As you all know, this isn't my first time back. I've been through supporting Democrats in Tennessee, because as a Southern Democrat, I know what it's like to be overlooked, to be left out, at times, to be looked down upon.  But what are we doing? We are scrapping our way back to the table.”

It was its own miracle that Beshear arrived on time, sharp as ever, considering his packed schedule in recent months. High approval ratings and two winning campaigns for Kentucky’s highest office have earned Beshear national attention as a 2028 presidential contender. Next to Molder, Beshear joked that he hasn't made a final decision on a 2028 run because doing so would trigger "paperwork."

Rather than dispel the hype, Beshear has fueled it, laying appropriate groundwork in recent months. After a brief introduction from Molder, Beshear drew loud applause with potential platform issues that focus on democratic reforms. He pitched term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, outlawing partisan gerrymandering, ending stock trading by elected officials, and presidential elections by popular vote. Beshear’s new book, Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country, reflects his presidential pitch: moral high ground and partisan middle ground. Shortly after greeting a long line of supporters, Beshear headed to Vanderbilt for a book tour event alongside Mayor Freddie O’Connell.

When asked what Democrats need in a 2028 presidential candidate, Beshear essentially described himself, flipping into campaign mode.

“ I think our 2028 candidate should be a Democratic governor,” Beshear told the Scene. “The reason I think it needs to be a Democratic governor is we have the receipts. We can show you where we built housing in Eastern Kentucky after flooding — we're building on top of former coal mines. We're building affordable housing with solar panels on top so they're affordable to live in too. That's the thing that people need to be able to see: that you can do big things.” 

Molder needs all the help he can get. He launched his campaign last year in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District expecting to face a scandal-ridden Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles. A lot has changed since then. Republican lawmakers redrew the district during May’s special legislative session, breaking up the state’s last remaining congressional seat held by a Democrat. Republican primary voters rejected Ogles in August; Molder will instead face Charlie Hatcher, a folksy dairy farmer and former Tennessee commissioner of agriculture who holds the mostly same pro-Trump politics as Ogles, but without the damaged reputation.

“ You're here today because you know that we are facing a test of our democracy,” Molder said. “You're here today because you know that this is a consequential election. I'm 43 years old, and in my opinion, this election is the most critical election of my lifetime, and so your presence today gives me a lot of hope. I have so much optimism in our ability to pull this off, and let me just tell you, this is a close race.”

Molder did not elaborate on polling or third-party ratings. Leading projections consider the district a solid Republican seat. State lawmakers redrew the district in May across rural Middle and West Tennessee, stretching from Williamson County to Memphis. 

“ This is a single-digit race, and it is improving on a daily basis,” Molder told supporters. “The new 5th Congressional District is a district that Donald Trump won by over 23 points, and as of yesterday, we are in a very close single-digit race.”

The fundraiser itself took place well outside the boundaries of Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District but drew from the city’s ample supply of wealthy donors, party insiders and Democrats hoping for an upset in November. Attending Nashville politicos included former Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper, Democratic state House Minority Leader (and Molder’s father-in-law) Craig Fitzhugh, and longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, a Democrat who represented Tennessee’s 5th from 2003 to 2023.

MRMC/UT Residency Program (MSM)

Maury Regional Health celebrated a historic milestone recently with a ribbon-cutting ceremony recognizing the launch of the UTHS–Maury Internal Medicine Residency Program and the opening of newly renovated space designed to support the organization’s inaugural cohort of 10 resident physicians.

The ceremony marked a defining moment in Maury Regional Health’s 73-year history as the organization expands its role in physician education through a partnership with the University of Tennessee Health Sciences (UTHS). The inaugural cohort kicked off July 1, establishing a new chapter for Maury Regional Health and a long-term investment in strengthening the physician workforce across southern Middle Tennessee.

Maury Regional Health renovated dedicated space for resident education and daily needs. The facilities include classrooms, laboratory areas and spaces for residents to eat, rest and sleep during extended and overnight shifts. The Maury Regional Health Care Foundation provided critical funding for a state-of-the-art simulation lab, giving resident physicians hands-on experience in a controlled learning environment. The renovated facilities support residents throughout their clinical training at Maury Regional.

“For decades, Maury Regional has continually evolved to meet the changing health care needs of our region,” said Dr. Martin Chaney, chief executive officer for Maury Regional Health. “As access to specialized care becomes more challenging across the country, we’ve remained focused on bringing more care closer to home. Celebrating the launch of this residency program is a historic moment — not only for our organization, but for the communities we serve. By investing in physician education today, we’re investing in healthier communities for generations to come.”

The UTHS-Maury Internal Medicine Residency Program is a three-year graduate medical education program designed to prepare physicians for careers in internal medicine through comprehensive inpatient and outpatient training, faculty mentorship, research opportunities and continuity of care with patients.

Through its partnership with UTHS, Tennessee’s largest educator of health professionals, Maury Regional combines the personalized learning environment of a community health system with the academic resources and expertise of a nationally recognized medical school.

“Residency is where physicians take the knowledge they gained in medical school and become confident, compassionate clinicians,” said Dr. Thomas Quinn, program director of the UTHS-Maury Internal Medicine Residency Program. “The depth of clinical experiences our residents receive prepares them to provide exceptional care in whatever setting they choose.”

Throughout the three-year program, residents will train in both hospital and outpatient settings. The first year emphasizes inpatient internal medicine while providing foundational four-week rotations in pulmonology, cardiology, infectious disease, gastroenterology and nephrology — core specialties that prepare physicians to manage a broad range of health conditions.

“Training more physicians in Tennessee is essential to meeting the growing need for medical care, particularly in rural areas where access can be more limited,” said Dr. Michael Hocker, executive dean of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Medicine. “Residency programs like this give physicians the opportunity to learn in the settings where they are needed most and build deep, meaningful connections with the patients they serve. Our partnership with Maury Regional Health is an important step in preparing the health care workforce to practice throughout all parts of Tennessee.”

The program also represents an opportunity to address physician workforce needs throughout the region. Physicians are often more likely to establish their practices in or near the communities where they complete residency training. By providing residents with experience caring for patients in community and rural settings, Maury Regional Health and UTHS aim to develop physicians who understand the unique needs of these communities and may ultimately choose to build their careers in the region.

“Training in a community health system offers experiences that are both professionally rewarding and deeply personal,” said Dr. Deborah Goldsmith, associate program director. “Here, you’re caring for neighbors, friends and family while becoming part of a community that values compassion, collaboration and service. We hope many of our residents will build lasting connections here and choose to continue serving communities like ours.”

A new cohort of residents will join the program each year, creating a sustainable pipeline of highly trained physicians equipped to care for patients throughout Tennessee and beyond.

“This is only the beginning,” Dr. Chaney said. “We hope our residents discover not only a passion for practicing medicine, but also a passion for serving communities like ours. If they choose to build their careers here, the impact of this program will be felt for generations.”

To learn more about the UTHS–Maury Internal Medicine Residency Program, visit MauryRegional.com/internal-medicine-residency.

Caldirero Appointed to Zoning Commission (MSM)

The Maury County Commission voted 16-6 on Sept. 21 to appoint Robert Caldiraro to the Regional Planning Commission, despite public criticism of his review of a rural subdivision and of his decision to leave the Building & Zoning directorship earlier this month.

Residents of East Sheepneck Road asked the county last fall to review the Ridgeline Reserve subdivision on their road, but Caldiraro’s department declined because subdivisions of property into lots of five or more acres don’t come before the planning commission.

The residents then discovered that TCA § 13-3-401(4)(i-ii) requires subdivisions with infrastructure improvements to come before the Regional Planning Commission. When Building & Zoning learned that the developer, Cedar Grove Partners, had submitted design plans to the state to serve Ridgeline Reserve with water from Columbia Power & Water Systems, the residents’ counselor Dustin Kittle submitted a legal opinion to Building & Zoning attorney Kristi Ransom arguing that Ridgeline Reserve was due for planning commission review. Ransom concurred with Kittle and Caldiraro’s department ordered the developer to appear before the planning commission.

“There’s a presumption that I had a call in divisions of land over five acres,” Caldiraro said. “[But] the subdivision of land… was something I knew nothing about until July last year… [and] I had no material evidence to act on… until the following November, when I actually heard from Columbia Power & Water [that a water line was in planning].”

Kittle announced at the meeting that he’s driving around the county, documenting other subdivisions that he believes may have escaped proper review while Caldiraro led Building & Zoning.

“A lot of these subdivisions have been built without going through the proper process,” he claimed, and further argued that as a planning commissioner, Caldiraro would be motivated to defend his own work with developers and justify his judgment calls. “There are subdivisions that did not go before the planning commission that should have.”

“From what I see the fact pattern has been repeated over and over again,” said Chris Gramling, one of the residents, who cited a long list of subdivisions he believes may be noncompliant with development law. “The public deserves an explanation of what happened in these cases.”

“I honestly would not treat [Ridgeline Reserve] any differently if I had to do it over again,” Caldiraro later told Main Street Maury. “Once we had the facts other than hearsay, we reacted.”

Public commenters also faulted Caldiraro’s decision to take a job at General Motors right before the county finalizes and publishes its new comprehensive land-use plan.

“If I had an employee under me quit in the middle of an extensive project… and then I turned around and hired him in another role, they would fire me, because it’s not something that people in the private sector respect,” said public commenter Katie Martin, citing her own experience in human resources.

16 members of the newly installed county commission, however, decided to give Caldiraro the appointment because of his long experience in county development and his immersion in the zoning codes.

“[Robert] knows [the zoning ordinance] backwards and forwards, and he could certainly recuse himself if he thought that’s what he needed to do, and I trust him to do that,” said County Mayor Sheila Butt. “So I will stand behind my nomination.”

Commissioner Gary Stovall said that someone of Caldiraro’s experience should be given at least a chance to contribute to the planning commission, and he reminded his colleagues that the former director would cast only one of nine votes.

“He may have made mistakes, nobody that’s done anything hasn’t made mistakes, but he has a wealth of knowledge, and I’ve attended enough planning commission meetings to know that that kind of knowledge is thin on the ground,” said Commissioner Kenny Morrow. He added that to his knowledge, Caldiraro had made no disqualifying ethical choices during his tenure.

“Mr. Caldiraro took a job that he has wanted for a long time, paying better,” said Commissioner Missy Phillips, Caldiraro’s sister-in-law. “He’s been looking and hoping for that job for a long time, so it’s not like he just quit in the middle of this program.”

CSCC Alumna Starts Endowment (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College alumna Allison Dean Love is establishing two new endowed funds to help nursing students with licensure expenses and expand leadership development opportunities.

The Allison Dean Love and Amelia P. Dean Nursing Licensure Support Endowed Grant was created to honor Love’s mother, Amelia Parks Dean, a 1974 Columbia State graduate. Love, who attended Columbia State from 1982 to 1984, established the grant to support nursing students as they complete their professional credentialing requirements.

“We are very appreciative of Allison's intentionality in establishing funds that provide targeted resources for achieving academic success,” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for Advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation.

To be eligible for the grant, applicants must be enrolled at Columbia State and prepared to submit their Tennessee Board of Nursing application or sit for the NCLEX examination. The grant is intended to help those nursing students who may be having financial challenges in paying the application and testing fees.

In addition to the nursing grant, Love is also establishing the Allison Dean Love Leadership Development Endowed Fund. The fund will help grow and enhance the student experience in the President's Leadership Society. Students engage with various aspects of the community to broaden their understanding and strengthen their capacity to lead.

“Allison's generosity reflects a sincere commitment to helping others succeed,” said Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president. “Through these funds, nursing students will receive support as they complete their journey to professional licensure, and future leaders will gain opportunities to develop skills that strengthen their careers, organizations and communities. Her gift embodies the spirit of service and creates a lasting legacy that will benefit Columbia State students for years to come.”

Throughout her professional career, Love has held multiple leadership positions while dedicating time to help others develop their own leadership potential.

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

Mr. Roger Lee Chapman, 77, a resident of Culleoka, died Thursday, October 1, 2026, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Funeral services will be conducted Friday October 9, at 2:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Wilkes Cemetery in Culleoka. The family will visit with friends Friday from 11:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Mr. Ryan VanAmburg Elliott, 43, a resident of Columbia, died Thursday, September 24. The family will visit with friends Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10:00 A.M. until 12:00 noon at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home

And now, news from around the state…

Data Centers Become Major Political Topic (CDH)

Data centers are emerging as a major political flashpoint in Tennessee, drawing bipartisan scrutiny as the artificial intelligence industry pours money and lobbyists into the state.

Kent Syler, a Middle Tennessee State University political science professor and longtime Tennessee political strategist, said data centers have gone from a relatively obscure economic development issue to one of the country's most prominent political debates.

"The data center debate, it more or less came out of nowhere in political terms," Syler said. "It was here in an instant."

As Tennessee voters decide the governor's race and congressional contests Nov. 3, the data center debate is crossing party lines nationwide and could carry into the 2028 presidential campaign.

Unlike many political fights carefully cultivated by parties, Syler said the backlash largely began in communities grappling with proposed developments and questions about electricity and water use, and environmental impacts.

"This one was organic," Syler said. "This one came from the people."

Now candidates are being forced to take sides.

The debate has already landed in one of Tennessee's closely watched congressional races.

Three Star PAC, a Democratic-aligned political action committee, launched an independent ad in September attacking Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor, who is running against Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson in Tennessee's 9th Congressional District.

The ad accuses Taylor of accepting campaign contributions from artificial intelligence interests while supporting legislation affecting how utilities serve data centers.

Taylor has pushed back, saying his legislation protects utility customers from data center infrastructure costs, according to the Tennessee Lookout. The bill also allows data centers to build their own power generation, drawing criticism from environmental groups.

Pearson, meanwhile, has been an outspoken critic of data center development, particularly xAI's massive computing operations in Memphis and Mississippi and their environmental impacts on surrounding communities.

The debate has also surfaced in the governor's race.

Independent candidate David Hatley launched a statewide television ad in August attacking data centers as part of his campaign against Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jerri Green.

Blackburn has sought to balance support for artificial intelligence's economic potential with calls for greater local control.

"We must be intentional about how we regulate data center development," Blackburn said in a Sept. 30 statement to The Tennessean. "As with any emerging technology, we need to balance staying at the forefront of innovation with responsible growth, and the growth of data centers should always serve the interests of Tennesseans first and foremost."

Blackburn said local communities should determine whether and where data centers are built while arguing the U.S. must remain competitive with China in artificial intelligence.

"However, we must ensure that AI is being developed responsibly and that its costs do not fall on American families," Blackburn said.

Green in a statement said she has called for an immediate pause on new data centers to assess their impact on the environment and community.

"Tennessee’s growth should be driven by the needs of working families, not the short-term profit margins of big tech corporations and out-of-state developers," she said.

As candidates debate, AI companies and their employees are pouring money into Tennessee politics.

A Tennessean review of 2026 campaign finance records found employees and executives affiliated with AI companies and organizations contributed at least $131,000 to Blackburn's gubernatorial campaign. No comparable AI-linked contributions were found in Green's campaign records.

Anthropic employees accounted for $58,300 of that total, while Oracle employees contributed nearly $42,000.

The money is not limited to individual employees. Anthropic itself contributed $250,000 in July to Tennessee Freedom Fund, a political action committee supporting Blackburn, tying for the PAC's third-largest contribution during the pre-primary reporting period.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Country music star Wynonna Judd is coming to Brentwood this weekend for a special album signing at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs — but tickets for the event are already sold out.

Wynonna will sign copies of her new album, “The Hard Truth,” on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs, located at 1701 Mallory Lane. A ticket was required to attend, and the event sold out shortly after being announced.

Released Oct. 2, “The Hard Truth” marks Wynonna’s first new studio album in more than a decade. The project finds the country music icon returning with a deeply personal collection of songs reflecting on grief, family, resilience and her Kentucky roots.

While the signing itself is sold out, the Brentwood appearance comes just days after the release of “The Hard Truth,” giving ticketed fans a chance to meet Wynonna and celebrate her latest project in person.