Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 2-3-26

County Commission apprised of possible legislation impacts (MSM)

At its January meeting, the Maury County Commission received a legislative update from its state-level lobbyist, James Dunn, about the coming session of the Tennessee General Assembly.

The 2026 General Assembly began Jan. 6 and accepted bills Jan. 31. Several thousand bills get introduced in each two-year cycle of the General Assembly, and in an even-numbered “Year Two” like 2026, last year’s bills are also going through the legislative process.

Among the important bills, Dunn named State Sen. Joey Hensley’s SB2002, which would cap property tax increases at two percent per year and require a local referendum to raise them further.

“Our position has been that this would take away the autonomy of our local governments and be problematic,” Dunn told the commission. “We’ll be advocating that the state respect the local government[‘s]… ability to fiscally do what it needs to do on behalf of the citizenry, given its mandates.”

If a local government were to find itself unable to fund its mandated services because of this tax-increase cap, he said, the state comptroller would have to step in and run the municipality’s finances, which is a situation that neither party wants.

Dunn also highlighted HB1720/SB1771, which would impose county development standards on non-annexed properties, even those inside cities’ urban growth boundaries. County Mayor Sheila Butt agreed that this was a good development and possibly a stepping-stone to counties having a “seat at the table” in annexations, though cities and developers tend to oppose this prospect when it’s brought up outright.

Finally, the General Assembly has also been presented with a bill and a resolution on the Duck River. Rep. Pat Marsh’s HB1510/SB1590 would expand the mileage of Duck River sections considered “scenic,” to include parts of the river in Marshall and Hickman counties. Meanwhile Rep. Todd Warner’s House Joint Resolution 726 would endorse rebuilding the Columbia Dam, calling it “a critical priority to establish an adequate water supply system for sustained growth, economic development, and recreational use.”

Commissioner Gabe Howard asked if Dunn could persuade Warner, who represents Marshall County, to let a legislator representing Maury County to sponsor the resolution instead. Dunn advised waiting until Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State address, in which he would address Duck River Watershed issues.

County Commissioner Scott Sumners asked Dunn if the General Assembly could be persuaded to amend Maury County’s Private Act, to direct more wheel-tax revenue towards the roads, where it’s needed, instead of to the jail fund where 50 percent of it currently goes. Dunn agreed that it is a plausible request, since TDOT is now asking for more skin-in-the-game from local governments who want their highways fixed. Still, Butt recommended waiting until after an election year.

Semiquincentennial celebration

County Historian Joann McClellan told the Commission how her Commemoration Committee plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Attending a conference of the Tennessee Association of Museums convinced her that the committee ought to bring out the important interconnections between Maury County’s history and that of the state and the nation at large.

“My hope in sharing these stories would generate a greater interest and appreciation of Maury County’s history,” McClellan said. “Unless you’ve studied Maury County’s history and compared it to histories of other counties, you just don’t know how rich our history is.”

The Commemoration Committee includes members of the County Historical Society, the Spring Hill Historical and Genealogical Society, the African-American Heritage Society, staff at the County Archives, and the head of the History Department at Columbia State. They hope to reach both locals and visitors with July 4 attractions including a lecture series featuring MTSU professors, a genealogy workshop, a quilting workshop, brochure-led tours, and a scavenger hunt leading to about 150 historic sites.

“Our goal is to share the diverse history of this county, to engage the community in an inclusive, multi-generational celebration of the 250th year,” McClellan said.

Maury Alliance report

Maury Alliance CEO Wil Evans presented his organization’s most recent quarterly report. Maury Alliance, now in year two of their “Enhance Maury” strategy, have 22 possible businesses in the pipeline, which could bring up to 658 jobs and $467 million in capital investment, though Evans expects that these numbers will go down as they “cull” inactive projects. These projects check Maury Alliance’s three “boxes” for new developments, which are diversified industry, high wages, and minimal infrastructural impact. Maury Alliance plans to discuss workforce development with their stakeholders at the third Industry Council meeting in 2026.

One of Maury Alliance’s biggest tasks, Evans said, is to create a “cohesive community vision” that they can convince both stakeholders and the average Maury County citizen to buy into. They hope to publish their “vision” documents within this year.

“I think we can all agree, we’ve seen a lot of movement over the last 10 years in the community,” Evans told the commission. “We feel that there’s been a lot of positive impacts… but it’s also presented an absolutely new set of challenges… We understand that we must be more strategic in our work, in order to maintain a community that is desirable as we move forward. We are striving to make things better, not just bigger… We don’t want to sit in a silo [where] our organization just [does] what we think will move the community forward, we want to gain community input, and we feel we’re in a really good position to do that.”

Other business

Stewart Parker of the Industrial Development Board announced that remediation of diesel pollution at a brownfield site on the Innovation Campus cost just under $162,000.

The commission appointed Bill White to the Industrial Development Board, Bradley Woolridge to the Regional Planning Commission, and Greg Martin and Drew Parker to the Hospital Board.

Sumners “applauded” the Maury County Clerk’s decision to install a car-tag renewal kiosk at the Wal-Mart in Columbia.

Commission Chairman Danny Grooms, who represents southwest Maury County, told people in the rural community of Mount Joy that they hadn’t been forgotten, and the state would be snowplowing and salting Rockdale Hill Road.

Finally, the commission passed a resolution asking TDOT to name a bridge on Carter’s Creek Pike after Col. Joe Roberson. Roberson was a resident of Carter’s Creek and a career military officer, who earned the Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign and Service Medals and other awards in his 30 years in the service.

He taught high-school Spanish in Murfreesboro and Columbia and served as a translator on Central American missions of the Graymere Church of Christ. He also served for 12 years on the county commission, volunteered with the “Tuesday Crew” at Columbia Academy, and wrote a genealogical book about the long-standing families of Carter’s Creek.

CPWS restores power and water after severe winter storm (Press Release)

Columbia Power & Water Systems (CPWS) officials confirmed Friday that utility services have been fully restored following a severe winter storm that left thousands without power and water across the service area.

At the peak of the weather event on Sunday morning, CPWS reported approximately 8,500 customers without electricity. Utility crews, supported by mutual aid from Lewisburg Electric System, worked through sub-freezing temperatures and hazardous road conditions to repair widespread damage, which included the replacement of eight broken poles.

By Wednesday morning, the number of electrical outages had been reduced to fewer than 80, with full restoration achieved shortly thereafter.

"Our crews faced some of the most challenging conditions we’ve seen in recent years," CPWS CEO Jonathan Hardin said. "The dedication of our linemen, water crews and broadband technicians, many of whom worked 16-plus-hour shifts in extreme cold, was the driving force behind getting electric and internet services back on and keeping water available for our neighbors."

In addition to electrical repairs, CPWS water crews successfully repaired five water main breaks, including a significant failure in the Williamsport area. Broadband services were also restored quickly for customers who experienced disruptions due to ice and wind damage. The customer service and dispatch teams were also critical to the success of the utility during this event.

Utility officials also highlighted the role of the Columbia and Maury County community in the recovery process. Throughout the week, residents and businesses provided field crews with hot coffee, meals and snacks.

"The generosity shown by this community was overwhelming," Hardin said. "Beyond the food and supplies, the patience and encouragement shared by our customers allowed our teams to stay focused on the task at hand. We are deeply grateful for that partnership."

CPWS continues to monitor the infrastructure for any lingering issues. Customers still experiencing individual service disruptions are encouraged to call 931-388-4833.

Mt. Pleasant alumnus enters Florida coaches’ HOF (MSM)

Richard Pettus may have been young, but back in 1993, the budding football coach recognized the difference in Centerville, Tenn., and Ocala, Fla.

Nearly four decades later, the Mount Pleasant native received further validation that he made the right decision and went in the right direction as he was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame during a January ceremony.

A former three-sport athlete at Mt. Pleasant High School, Pettus played under three different coaches as a walk-on at Memphis State before embarking on his own coaching career – first as a volunteer graduate assistant at Memphis State, then as a GA at Livingston (Ala.) University (now West Alabama).

“I had applied and was offered the Hickman County position, or I could come to Lake Weir (Fla.) in Ocala. I could have stayed at the University of West Alabama,” Pettus recalled. “I had a couple of options.

“Now, 32 years later, here we are.”

Pettus spent seven years at Lake Weir, the last three as head coach, before a stint at nearby North Marion and later getting the opportunity to start the program at The Villages Charter High School. Since taking over in 2002, his teams have gone 138-89 with three unbeaten regular seasons, three district titles and three region championship game appearances.

“Richard was an outstanding young man and student, and a heck of a good little football player,” former Mt. Pleasant football coach Tommy Wolaver said. “He did a lot of things for us when he played. He loved the game, and once he got out and started coaching, it was obvious he was going to be a success somewhere.”

A quarterback and safety on the gridiron, Pettus also played basketball under W.C. Johnson and caught for Eddie Bassham prior to his 1985 graduation. At Memphis State, he committed to the late Rex Dockery and transitioned to receiver under Rey Dempsey, Charlie Bailey and Chuck Stobart.

“I went through three head coaches in five years,” he said. “Playing-wise, it didn’t help when as a walk-on you’re trying to prove yourself to three different coaches, but I had a chance to meet a lot of coaches and learn a lot of ball and a lot of concepts and good ideas and three different playbooks.”

Like Wolaver, Bassham – who attended the induction ceremony for Pettus and eight others in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – was hardly surprised at the career path Pettus took.

“Richard was a good athlete, but he was going to compete every time he went out,” Bassham said. “He was a competitor, and he teaches that same thing in his coaching.

“Through Memphis State, not getting to play much, but his endurance there, you could tell … He was kind of destined to go into athletics and the success he’s had, that’s just a tribute to his dedication, his hard work.”

Over his coaching tenure, Pettus has sent more than two dozen players to the collegiate ranks, with numerous players returning to coach under him – including five members of The Villages’ staff last fall. He also coached his son, Gunnar, a 2018 graduate.

In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Pettus has chaired the FACA football committee and has served on the football advisory committee of the Florida High School Athletic Association. As athletics director at The Villages, he has helped host the FACA All-Star Football Classic each of the last 10 years and the FHSAA Rural Football State championships for the past two years.

Pettus was among seven FACA Hall of Fame inductees honored at its 50th annual luncheon.

“I’d just credit all my coaches, from my youth coaches all the way up,” he said. “Just the impact of those guys.

“I’ve been gone from Mount Pleasant basically since 1985, but I’ve never forgotten my roots, the impact and the relationships and being able to stay in contact with all of them still to this day. I’m a lucky guy.”

‘Making Maury’: Video series highlights behind scenes of local organizations (MSM)

Ross Jaynes has been busy documenting the businesses of Maury County in a new video series called Making Maury. The series, inspired by the Science Channel TV show How It’s Made, highlights the nonprofits, medical facilities, banks, factories and other facilities that ensure the ground-level prosperity of Maury County.

“One of the things I get to do at my job is see all those behind-the-scenes things… cool machines, pressing stuff, making things, and the people behind it… And you never know who’s working together… and how that might extend [out of] Maury County throughout the world,” Jaynes told Main Street Maury. “Why shouldn’t other people be able to see behind-the-scenes things?”

So far, Making Maury has two episodes in the can. The first published episode focuses on the “Enrich Boxes” assembled by the students at the King’s Daughters School, which themselves “feature” local businesses’ products; the second episode, on the 100-year-old Columbia Machine Works shop, has yet to be released.

“[It allows] us to get to know our neighbors in a lot of different ways,” said Megan Fralix, the director of the Enrich Program. “[And] one of the most important things that we do in the Enrich program is engender this sense of self-confidence in our students… whether it’s in the workshop producing the boxes, or being involved with a community service project.”

Making Maury began last year as a business-publicity project sponsored by a local nonprofit. Even after the funding fell through, Jaynes was too intrigued by the concept to let it die.

“I still see a need in it, and I desire and want to do it,” he said. He embarked on the journey to find clients and shoot their operations. Sometimes he hires part-time people to shoot photos and video and do graphic design and other visual media, but the operation starts and ends with Ross.

“The main thing of this was to try to get in front of people, that it would make the biggest impact if they had their story told the right way, because most people don’t have any idea… how any of this works,” he explained in his pitch to the owners and managers of these businesses and nonprofits. “Giving people just a little piece of the puzzle, I feel like, is… informative… for the general populace too, if they care.”

Jaynes intends to start by making episodes about six businesses, to gauge interest; so far, he says, it’s been high.

“There’s been a lot of great interest so far,” he said, “[I’m] just trying to find a way to make the series viable long-term.”

Jaynes’s previous series, Maury County Now, turned the spotlight on smaller businesses like the BriarWorks pipe factory and Muletown Coffee, and he may return to the genre eventually. For now, he’s looking for Making Maury clients of any size or scale, and for episode and block sponsors.

“Some of those have not had the chance to have their story told, I feel, so maybe I’ll get to them eventually,” he said. “The scale doesn’t matter, what’s interesting is the story for this particular project.”

And now we take a look at your hometown memorials, brought to you by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…

Mrs. Sandra Moore Haywood, 88, widow of Bobby Joe Haywood, Sr. died Sunday, January 25th at her residence. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, February 3rd at 11:00 AM at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Monday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home and Tuesday from 10:00 AM until time of the services at the church.

Mr. Brian Wayne Hardison, 52, died Thursday at his residence. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Tuesday from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Dr. Taylor Rayburn, 92, retired dermatologist, died Saturday at his residence. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Thursday from 10:00 AM until time of the services at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Mr. Michael Udo Stephens, 49, died Thursday, January 29 at his residence in Columbia. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, February 7 at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home

Mr. John William Reischman, 55, resident of Columbia, died January 28 at Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro. A celebration of Life will be conducted Saturday, February 7, at 5:00 PM at First Family Baptist Church. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at First Family Baptist Church.

Now for your hometown weather, brought to you by Workout Anytime Columbia, join at WorkoutAnytime.com/Columbia or at the gym on 125 Bear Creek Pike.

Grab the umbrella before you head out the door — you’re definitely going to need it. We’re looking at a 100% chance of rain today. It starts with some scattered showers this morning, turning into a steady rain throughout the afternoon. We’ll reach a high of 50° with a light southwest breeze at about 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight the rain sticks around for the evening commute, with a 70% chance of showers likely before things start to taper off. It’s going to get chilly as those winds shift to the northwest, so expect a low of 30° under cloudy skies. Keep an eye on those roads as temperatures drop toward freezing late tonight.

Tractor Supply Company Donates 200K to Support Winter Storm Recovery

(Maury Source)

Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO) and the Tractor Supply Company Foundation have donated $250,000 to United Way of Greater Nashville’s Winter Storm Recovery Fund. The donation provides seed money to the fund to help initiate recovery efforts and generate additional financial support following this week’s severe winter weather event in Middle Tennessee.

“Through long hours and tough conditions, our Tractor Supply teams look out for our customers, neighbors and each other. It is core to who we are, the foundation of our Mission and Values,” said Hal Lawton, President and CEO of Tractor Supply. “Right now, our neighbors here in Middle Tennessee are facing unprecedented challenges. It will take significant resources to recover and rebuild from this devastating storm, and we are determined to help however we can. Together, we can get through this.”

A historic winter storm swept through Middle Tennessee on January 25, downing thousands of trees and power lines. Davidson County suffered extensive damage, leaving more than 200,000 Nashvillians without heat or electricity.

Tractor Supply, headquartered in nearby Brentwood, Tennessee, is also working with the Nashville Office of Emergency Management to provide emergency response supplies as many residents remain without power amid freezing temperatures.

Crisis Cleanup Hotline Available For Tennesseans Impacted By Winter Storm (Maury Source)

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is reminding residents that Crisis Cleanup is available to help those affected by the 2026 winter storm.

Crisis Cleanup connects survivors who need assistance with local volunteer groups. The hotline is active for Tennesseans with storm damage, and callers may be eligible for help with fallen trees, drywall, flooding, appliance removal, tarping, and mold mitigation. All services are provided at no cost, though assistance is not guaranteed due to high demand.

Residents in need can call the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at 844-965-1386. The hotline is expected to remain open through February 13, 2026.

Spanish-speaking residents can also call the same number for assistance.