Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 11-3-25

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for November 3, 2025

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

We start with local news…

Former Deputy Charged (WKRN.com)

A former deputy with the Maury County Sheriff’s Office has been convicted of both rape and rape of a child.

According to Brent Cooper, District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District — which includes Maury County — former deputy Hunter Reed was found guilty of both rape of a child and rape on Wednesday.

No sentencing date has been assigned yet, Cooper added, and he will serve at a Tennessee Department of Correction facility that is also yet to be assigned.

Maury County Sheriff Bucky Rowland told News 2 he had no comment, but records show a previous case with the accused involving a 13-year-old victim and 30 incidents at locations across Maury County is still pending per the District Attorney’s office.

Ultium to Lay Off Workers (CDH)

Ultium Cells will furlough about 700 of its employees as its Spring Hill, Tenn. plant braces for a temporary pause in production next year, Reuters reported Oct. 29. 

The Spring Hill battery assembly plant, a joint partnership between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, will halt production beginning in January 2026 through mid-year, Reuters reported.

The report followed a July announcement that outlined the latest steppingstone in the $2.3 billion partnership between LG Energy Solutions and GM to produce low-cost battery cells known as lithium iron phosphate, or LFP.

General Motors and Ultium Cells did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Additionally, Ultium Cells’ operations in Warren, Ohio will halt production similar to the Spring Hill plant, but will furlough 850 of its workers, and indefinitely lay off 550 employees. 

The report came on the heels of GM adapting to slower-than-expected electric vehicle demand, and a shifting regulatory landscape, Reuters reported.

Despite strong earnings following last week's quarterly earnings report, this week, the company has taken steps to trim its workforce, by laying off 300 and 200 employees in its Warren, Michigan Technical Center and Georgia IT Innovation Center, respectively, the Detroit Free Press reported. 

The automaker is in the midst of its annual review process, which will continue through the rest of the year, the company told the Detroit Free Press. 

In September, GM announced it would furlough half of its 1,400 shift workers as it rolls back production of electric vehicles at its Spring Hill plant. The plant implemented a month of downtime during a week in October, Thanksgiving and all of December. 

“General Motors is making strategic production adjustments in alignment with expected slower EV industry growth and customer demand by leveraging our flexible ICE and EV manufacturing footprint,” GM spokesperson Allison May told The Tennessean in a Sept. 4 statement.

Although this round of layoffs did not affect employees at the neighboring Ultium Cells site, reports indicate that following the September Homeland Security immigration raid at LG Energy Solution’s joint battery plant with Hyundai Motor in Georgia, Korean workers employed at Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility fled the country.

Columbia Central Clinches Regional (MSM)

An oft-used phrase this time of year is “win or go home.”

Columbia Central football team’s objective, though, was to win and stay home – and the Lions achieved it, defeating host Tullahoma 28-20 Friday night to clinch the Region 4-5A championship and a home game to open the state playoffs.

A loss would have left Central, Tullahoma and Lincoln County in a three-way tie atop the league; tiebreakers would have had the Lions seeded third and traveling to Region 3-5A runner-up Walker Valley for their playoff opener.

Instead, three second-half touchdowns – two in a 90-second span of the fourth quarter – delivered Columbia Central’s first league title since the 2012 team won District 8-AAA.

(That 2012 team, coached by current Lions defensive coordinator Howard Stone, advanced to the state finals before falling to Beech

“By far, this is (our) biggest win,” third-year Lions coach Tra’Darius Goff said after his team secured an opening-round matchup against East Hamilton. “Not only because it’s the region championship, but seeing these boys be put behind the 8-ball and deal with some adversity … Tullahoma’s a tough place to play. They overcame adversity and fought to get the win.”

In a seesaw affair, Columbia Central (6-3, 4-0) was up early, scoring on its opening possession as Daniel Booker capped an 85-yard drive with a 9-yard run. The junior quarterback converted after breaking loose for 59 yards into the red zone three plays previously.

From there, though, it was Tullahoma’s marquee ballcarrier, Marvancy Johnson, getting the job done for the Wildcats (5-5, 2-2). Johnson scored late in the opening period from a yard out to tie the contest, then on the next possession gave the hosts a 13-7 lead with his 26-yard burst.

That six-point margin held up through halftime, before – as Goff encouraged the Lions’ defensive unit to “set the tone” – Tullahoma took the opening kickoff of the half and marched 80 yards on 10 plays. The Wildcats extended the lead to 20-7 on Lucas Reed’s 17-yard pass to Alex Bobo midway through the third quarter.

“That wasn’t the tone we wanted to set,” Goff said. “We wanted to get a stop and give the ball back to our offense. It didn’t work out as that, but once we gave the ball back to our offense, they gave us a little life, and the defense picked up off their energy.”

Central took the ensuing kickoff and drove 80 yards, taking advantage of a couple of ‘chunk’ plays – a 28-yard Cam Bridges reverse and a 24-yard swing pass by Booker to Ha’Son Baugh – before Booker got into the end zone for a second time from a yard out.

“We ran the ball well,” Booker said after a 120-yard night. “The linemen missed some blocks early, but they picked it up. They got the engines running and we started moving the ball.”

Tullahoma tried to take the momentum back on two occasions during the next drive, and came up short on both occasions. After an illegal procedure call on first-and-10 from the 20-yard line, Johnson broke through the Central defense for an apparent 85-yard touchdown – but the Wildcats were whistled for an illegal shift, setting up first-and-20.

The hosts converted on third-and-1, but Zane Nash and ToeToe Baldwin combined to stop Tullahoma’s Dominick Harris for a 3-yard loss on the next third down. Facing fourth-and-5 from their own 38, the Wildcats lined Johnson up in ‘wildcat’ formation and he was stopped a yard short.

With a short field, the visitors capitalized. A 17-yard Bridges reverse got Central close to the red zone, and five Baugh running plays on the next seven snaps set Booker up for his third score of the game, a 3-yard run that – with Elijah Raymer’s extra point – pushed the Lions in front 21-20 with 8:15 to play.

An energized Columbia Central sideline seized the moment, shaking off a 19-yard Johnson run as Nash sacked Reed for a 6-yard loss before sophomore Lee Holloway grabbed a Reed pass and returned it 33 yards to make it an eight-point game with 6:45 to go.

“I saw the guy come across my face and (Reed) threw the ball and he tips it, I catch it and my blockers were great,” Holloway said. “I’m so happy I can do this for my team, for my program.”

The Lions’ defensive unit closed out the contest from there, as Baldwin and Nash each had a sack on the final series before J’Mari Hall intercepted Reed on fourth-and-16 from the Central 33 inside the final minute to set up ‘victory formation’ for the offense.

“It was a team effort,” Nash said. “We knew we were going to come out in the second half and play our butts off, and we did just that. We definitely started slow, but – bottom line, we preach ‘heart of a Lion’ all week at practice, and we just kept fighting. It was tough, but we kept fighting and came back and won this game.”

Johnson finished with 129 rushing yards for Tullahoma, which will travel to Walker Valley as the No. 3 seed out of Region 4-5A.

Columbia Central will host its first playoff game since the opening round of the 2021 postseason, as East Hamilton will visit.

“This is a big accomplishment for us,” Booker said. “We knew it was going to be a big season, that we were going to take crazy steps from last year. We accomplished that.”

Food Pantries Combine (CDH)

A newly consolidated food pantry in Maury County is prepping for the holiday season, expecting increased need in meals and other essentials.

Two nonprofits in Columbia, Harvest Share Food Pantry and The Family Center, have combined their efforts to provide a larger one-stop, community food pantry, operated at the Harvest Share Food Pantry location, 419 W. 9th Street.

Since January, Harvest Share Food Pantry has increased its customer base in partnership with The Family Center, allowing Harvest Share to provide food for new families, while also allowing The Family Center to place more focus on addressing local homelessness and housing issues, Harvest Share Director Amanda Taylor said.

"They are now pointing people in our direction, and we are pointing the homeless to them," Taylor said. "They also had churches and groups that would donate to them, but now they are pointing them in our direction. We have picked up a lot more clients."

Harvest Share now serves approximately 500-550 families per month, Taylor added.

"It is significant, and they can only come one time a month, and so it is a lot," Taylor said.

Taking on new customers hasn't been the only thing Harvest Share has been up to this year. The food pantry is currently in the process of installing a new walk-in cooler, as well as a mission to provide a bountiful Christmas for 500 families with its first Hustle for Harvest Share 5K fundraiser, which will take place Thanksgiving Day.

"The reason that we started the fundraiser is because for Christmas families get a ham and toys, but not the rest of the meal," Taylor said. "We are partnering together to feed people their full Christmas meal this year. The cost for that, on the low end, would be about $5,000, and so we need a decent fundraiser to make this possible."

The 5K kicks off at 8 a.m. at the Pillow Springs golf course, 119 Stoneybrook Road. Runners can sign up online for $43.40, with an additional $3.40 fee.

Harvest Share has also grown in additional ways to better serve clients, including a cargo van.

"We got a cargo van that was donated to us, and it's amazing how it has made a huge difference in how we pick food up, though we could also use another vehicle," Taylor said. "We have a lot of pickups, and we have to pick up all of our orders. We would also love to do renovations to our building, but that's more of a want ... because feeding for the Christmas dinner is a big project itself.

"We have a lot going on and are just trying to make it happen."

While the momentum to grow and increase the services local food pantries provide clients, there is also a concern as to how the current government shutdown could affect families, particularly those who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Though there is no estimated amount regarding how many will be affected, Taylor said she expects the impact to hit local families.

"It will affect people, and we have gotten some calls from people who have never been here looking for ways to help offset that loss," Taylor said. "We expect it is going to have an increase for us, but we have seen an increase in donations also. People hear about this and see that we are going to have an increase [of clients], and so we have seen an increase in donations to help us prepare."

According to the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Maury County's data shows 7,226 individuals received SNAP benefits in September of 2025, with 3,539 total caseloads totaling $1,549,995.

Gov. Lee introduces Feed TN

Gov. Bill Lee introduced Oct. 30 FeedTN.org, a resource that helps to connect families with food relief efforts statewide. The website allows users to locate food resources in their specific county.

"With the disruption of SNAP benefits and food insecurity on the rise, Tennesseans are stepping up to serve neighbors in need," the website says.

FeedTN is "a collaboration with Second Harvest, United Way, Catholic Charities, Chattanooga Food Bank, Mid-South Food Bank, and hundreds of community and faith organizations, and supported by the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative," according to the website.

The website also gives updates on SNAP and the government shutdown as well as Frequently Asked Questions at https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/federal-shutdown.html.

In addition, Franklin-based nonprofit One Generation Away issued a press release Wednesday, Oct. 29, estimating 690,000 Tennesseans relying on SNAP will be affected by the shutdown, prompting the organization to rapidly expand its food distributions across the state.

"Since Oct. 1, OneGenAway has been serving furloughed federal workers and local residents affected by the shutdown, in addition to operating its regular mobile food pantries that provide food to anyone in need — no questions asked," the release states. "Now, the nonprofit is mobilizing on an even greater scale."

Beginning Nov. 4, the nonprofit will begin hosting drive-thru food pickups, wherein each household will receive an 18-pound box of shelf-stable food and a 10-pound box of produce.

Details and information about the food pick-ups is available online at www.OneGenAway.com.

“This is a critical moment for our community,” Chris Whitney, founder and CEO of OneGenAway, said. “When thousands of families suddenly lose access to the food they depend on, we can’t wait for someone else to step in. We’re doing everything we can to fill the gap because no one should have to choose between feeding their kids and paying their bills.”

Watershed Theater Production (MSM)

It’s Christmastime in Norway, 1880. Nora Helmer is at home in ”A Doll’s House.” Watershed Public Theatre’s latest play presents the paradox of society versus the individual. Nora (portrayed by Emily Palmer) tries to keep her family functioning but ultimately gets set up for failure.

This lively drama will have two weekends of showtimes – Nov. 14-23 – at Columbia’s Polk Presidential Hall. It is not a conventional venue for live theatre, but this beautiful historic building is a perfect match for the 1800s setting of “A Doll’s House.” The intimate space will help the audience feel as though they are sitting in the Helmers’ home watching the story unfold.

“A Doll’s House” will be directed by Watershed Public Theatre’s founder and Producing Artistic Director, Kate Foreman. The Henrik Ibsen play was formative in her theatre education; Kate was immediately impacted by the main character, Nora, who has an extraordinary awakening in a matter of only a few days. 

“She’s flawed, fascinating, and complex,” Palmer said of her character Nora. For Emily, theatre is a chance to step into the lives of someone in a vastly different circumstance, an opportunity for empathy. Nora in ”A Doll’s House” in particular, beckons the audience to ponder difficult questions and, like all good art, extends through generations to spark a conversation.

Palmer has acted in numerous television shows and movies, including ”Cobra Kai” and ”Lansky.” Though she has been involved with the volunteer side of Watershed Public Theatre (WPT) for quite some time, ”A Doll’s House” will be her first performance for the company. 

She joins a small but mighty cast of WPT staples: Max Fleischhacker, Reid Gregory, JR Knowles and Christian Randell. Some combination of the four actors have appeared in the last several WPT plays, and the on-stage chemistry they share is venerable and strong. JR Knowles not only appears regularly in Watershed shows, he is the director of the WPT Apprentice Company, which develops and trains newcomers to be a part of both cast and crew for live theatre productions. The cast for ”A Doll’s House” will be rounded out by two actors training with the 2025-26 Apprentice Company who will be making their debut: welcome to the WPT stage Aubrey Cavitt and Jayden Mcfatridge.

This WPT presentation at the Polk Presidential Hall will be a rare and momentous event. The limited seating of the venue means any of the shows may sell out, so advanced purchases are recommended. Tickets, which can be purchased online at WatershedPublicTheatre.org, are $25 for general admission, $22 for seniors, and $15 for students. Showtimes are Nov. 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7 p.m., and Nov. 16 and 23 at 3 p.m. All performances take place at Polk Presidential Hall, 810 S. High Street, Columbia.

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

Raynor Carl White Jr., 78, resident of Spring Hill, died Saturday, November 1, 2025 at The Reserve in Spring Hill.

A graveside service will be held Monday, November 3, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Rose Hill Cemetery with Bro. Mike Roberts officiating. The family will visit with friends Monday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Now, news from around the state…

EV’s Catch Fire (WKRN)

One firefighter was injured after multiple electric vehicles caught on fire at a dealership in Franklin early Saturday morning.

Crews were called to the Rivian dealership and service center on 5th Avenue North around 1:20 a.m.

According to the Franklin Fire Department, crews arrived to find four electric vehicles on fire outside the building with flames flowing into a service bay.

One firefighter was taken to an area hospital for an evaluation and has since been released. No other injuries were reported from the fire.

The fire was contained but crews remained on the scene for more than four hours to monitor and cool the vehicle’s battery packs. Crews used a a Turtle Nozzle, which is designed to help firefighters control and extinguish electric vehicle fires, according to a release.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but investigators believe one of the vehicles was connected to a charger and may have been the first involved. The total cost of damages has not been determined.

“This incident highlights the challenges of fighting electric vehicle fires. Our crews did an excellent job containing the fire and preventing more significant damage to the building. We’re also grateful to our partners including Franklin Police, Williamson Health EMS, and WCRS Box 94 for assisting on scene,” said Franklin Fire Marshal Andy King in a release.

BNA Plans to Expand (Tennessean)

Nashville International Airport continues on an upward trajectory with rising annual passenger numbers, continued renovations and the exciting possibility of new flights each month, all while working through growing pains like traffic congestion and barely-enough parking.

So what’s next for BNA? A long-anticipated second terminal is finally moving from vision to blueprint.

Information about the incoming new terminal has been well discussed and publicized since 2023, but as the planning process progresses, public interest is building.

The airport is on track to approach maximum capacity in the existing terminal by 2036, exceeding 38 million annual passengers and nearing the 40 million limit, according to data from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority. When that time comes, BNA will need to be ready with a brand new twin terminal in order to keep up with growth and continue attracting more airlines and flight routes, MNAA President and CEO Doug Kreulen said.

Current passenger projections for 2025 have the airport on track to surpass 25 million passengers, which means BNA is more than halfway to its cap.

Kreulen and his team expect BNA will officially cross the 40 million threshold somewhere between 2038 and 2040.

"To build that new terminal takes 10 years," Kreulen said. "The first part of that 10 years is moving the people that are in the way out of the way. We call that 'enabling projects,' and once we have relocated people to other pieces of land on the property, then we can go in and flatten it and put the infrastructure in."

Not unlike many of the stars of Nashville's music industry, MNAA plans its schedule years in advance. In a 2024 interview with The Tennessean, Kreulen said there are logistics scheduled out all the way to 2050. By then, the airport predicts it will be able to support a staggering 70 million passengers annually.

Since BNA began its intense expansion in 2017 under Kreulen's guidance, totaling more than $4.5 billion thus far, airport leadership has maintained a forward-thinking strategic plan.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Eaglemaniacs will be at The Mulehouse (812 S High St, Columbia, TN 38401) on Friday, November 28th, 2025, at 8 pm.

This band consists of a bunch of Nashville’s BEST studio musicians, including iconic players who have performed with all of the greats, including Elvis! Definitely a Mulehouse favorite, and what a way to kick off the holiday season!

Get your seats now and don’t miss out on the balcony suite or the front-of-stage velvet couch if they’re not already sold! With opening act: our friends BECK & CALL!

More information visit www.themulehouse.com.