Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 3-27-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for March 27, 2026

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

Two Columbians Awarded Carnegie Medal (Press Release)

Two Columbia men have been awarded the Carnegie Medal for risking their lives to save another.

On May 23, 2025, Colin McNary, 25, who was severely autistic, ran into the Duck River at a boat ramp in Chickasaw Trace Park in Columbia, Tennessee, and was swept downstream by the current. On the south side of the boat ramp, auto assembly plant tool coordinator Samuel Hardin Adcock, 26, and network engineer James Alan Garner, 41, both from Columbia, were with Garner’s family when they saw McNary get carried downstream. Adcock immediately waded out to the channel and began swimming freestyle downstream to try to catch up to McNary. Garner instructed his two children to leave the water and go to their car. He entered the water and swam downstream to catch up to McNary and Adcock. About 1,000 feet downstream, McNary was swept into a calmer area of the river, where Adcock caught up with him and grabbed him. McNary struggled to stay afloat and submerged Adcock, who pushed McNary away to get air. Adcock stood on an underwater tree limb and grabbed McNary before he pushed him toward the riverbank. Garner had then arrived and positioned himself behind McNary. The two men pushed and pulled McNary to a large tree root on the riverbank, where they waited for first-responders. The riverbank had a steep, rocky ledge that prevented them from climbing up into the woods. Garner swam upstream about 120 feet to find an alternative route to climb out of the river but was unable to locate one and swam back to the others. Garner kept McNary calm until a rescue boat could take him back to the boat ramp, where his parents waited. An ambulance took him to a hospital. The boat then returned to pick up Adcock and Garner. McNary, Adcock, and Garner were tired and cold but not injured. Adcock and his Garner were still wet when they later visited the hospital to check on McNary.

The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who enter extreme danger while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. With this announcement, the Carnegie Medal has been awarded to 10,563 individuals since the inception of the Pittsburgh-based Fund in 1904. Each of the recipients or their survivors will receive a financial grant. Throughout the 122 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, $46 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.

Backlot Musicfest (CDH)

The Mulehouse, 812 S. High St., will host its second Backlot Country Fest on April 11, coinciding with Columbia's 52nd annual Mule Day celebration.

The event will feature country singer Priscilla Block as the headliner, with performances by Shane Profitt, Katie Austin and The Bandana Brothers, according to a Wednesday, March 25 news release from The Mulehouse.

Lauryn Snapp, a nominee for an Academy of Country Music Award for National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year, will serve as the emcee. Snapp is known for her work on SiriusXM's The Highway Mornings.

The festival aims to provide a lively concert experience following a day of Mule Day festivities. General admission tickets are $35, with discounted multi-ticket packages available. A limited number of VIP tickets are also being offered.

The VIP experience includes a dedicated entrance, exclusive viewing area, limited seating, a covered lounge, private bar access and separate restroom facilities.

This will mark the second year for the Mulehouse backlot event. The first, held in 2023, was considered a success.

Amy Fish, senior director of concerts and events for The Mulehouse, expressed excitement about the event.

"We’re excited to create something special alongside the always fun Mule Day weekend that extends the energy of the daytime events into an unforgettable nighttime experience," Fish said. "The Backlot Country Fest is designed to bring fans closer to the artists they love while showcasing a few of the most exciting voices in country music today."

Daniel Medina, who has owned The Mulehouse since May, also shared his enthusiasm, according to the release, stating he is thrilled the venue is part of the Mule Day celebration and looks forward to embracing the community through the outdoor music festival.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit The Mulehouse website at www.TheMulehouse.com/backlot.

Grace House Opens with Ribbon Cutting (CDH)

When Columbia Room in The Inn was founded in 2016 to help local unhoused families in need, the ultimate goal was to build a permanent facility to call home.

In December of last year, that goal was achieved with Grace House, one of the first residential homes of its kind in Columbia to help those experiencing homelessness.

Located at 1311 Mapleash Ave., Grace House opened initially in December of 2025 after years of renovations, code approvals and a laundry list of maintenance issues.

On March 24, Maury County celebrated the now fully-functional shelter, set to be fully occupied, with an official ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance.

"I admire people who say, 'We have a goal and we are going to accomplish this with God's help and the help of the community,'" Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt said. "Strengthening families and strengthening homes only strengthens our community and working together we can help people like this."

Ten years ago, the Grace House story began in the basement of Westminster Presbyterian Church, when founder Rev. Jeff Kane saw a need to address the community's homeless problem.

"Twelve years ago, when I landed in Columbia, I started walking the streets wondering 'God, why did you bring me to Mule Town?'" Kane said. "I'm a Yankee, and I'm trying to learn the environment and figure out what is going on, and I found people sleeping on the streets, children without a place to stay."

In 2019, Room in The Inn's original location was forced to close due to fire codes, though the ministry kept the faith and did not dissolve.

Clients were later housed at the Columbia Inn, which Kane said provided shelter, but wasn't ideal for the kind of ministry Room in The Inn had intended to provide, a way to help transition people into living better lives.

In 2023, the nonprofit secured what would become Grace House at a former church off Mapleash Avenue, which had fallen into much disrepair. While the dream seemed feasible for the first time since the beginning, there was still a lot of work to be done.

"In God's grace and humor and mystery, we started at a church, and now this is a church where there used to be pews and worship," Kane said. "But now we are doing the work of Jesus Christ. This is where, since December, single parents, single mothers bring their children.

"It is safe, it's clean, it's protected and they find peace, and all of them have transitioned because they have a place to lay their head at night."

As the nonprofit's founder, Kane later said that seeing the dream come to fruition after 10 years was a rightful time to hand over the reins, as he plans to retire now that the project is complete.

"Grace House is in very good hands, and it's time," Kane said.

Though he uses the word "retire" lightly.

"I have too much energy to retire, but God came to me one night in an advertisement in a magazine I was looking at, and it said Hot Springs, Arkansas needs a Presbyterian pastor," Kane said. "My son, who is in Little Rock, said, 'Come down here, they need you, and my wife and grandkids want you all here.'"

Grace House's principal builder Justin Hicks said, while it took a lot of work from the ground up, the ultimate goal was for the families Grace House would ultimately serve, whatever it took and however long it might take.

"It has been a long time coming in seeing the vision that all of these people had to serve their community," Hicks said.

Since opening in December, Grace House has already transitioned four families into new lives, and Director Samantha Baugus said the shelter will soon have a full house for the first time.

Primarily for single mothers with children, Grace House features for fully furnished rooms, a common area, kitchen and laundry space, as well as a large outdoor space where guests can also peer at nearby cows, goats and other livestock.

Baugus, who has served with Room in The Inn since 2024, recalls when she first laid eyes on the shelter after its initial completion.

"We had just been waiting patiently to pass all of our codes and get in here," Baugus said. "It just brought tears to my eyes when I came in here and had the privilege of picking up toys, seeing kids' drawings and being able to see the impact of what we are doing."

Developing long lasting relationships with the families Room in The Inn serves, Baugus said, is one of the most rewarding aspects of the work the organization does.

"I have often said that if they had support, they wouldn't be here, and so a lot of times when people come in they don't have family, don't have friends locally," Baugus said. "Being here gives them an opportunity to develop relationships that are long lasting outside of Grace House."

For more information on Room in The Inn and Grace House, to donate or volunteer, visit www.RoominTheInn.co email Baugus at ColumbiaRoominTheInn@gmail.com.

SHPD Offers Women’s Self Defense Class (MauryCountySource)

A local police department is inviting women in the community to take part in a hands-on safety program focused on awareness and self-defense.

The Spring Hill Police Department is hosting Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes aimed at building confidence and teaching practical personal safety skills. The program includes instruction on situational awareness, risk reduction strategies, and basic techniques to help participants respond to and escape potentially dangerous situations.

The classes will be offered in two separate three-day sessions: April 20, 21, and 23, or May 12 through 14. Each session runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 800 Hathaway Boulevard in Spring Hill.

Officials say the course is open to women of all fitness levels, with no prior experience required. The cost to participate is $25, and space may be limited. Find tickets here at www.personalresponsibilityllc.com/classes

Columbia State Summer Session Registration (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College’s summer semester begins May 27, and important application deadlines are fast approaching for new and returning students.

New students and returning students who have missed one or more semesters must apply for summer admission by May 22. Summer and fall registration are currently open for all admitted students.

The fall semester begins August 24. New students and returning students who have missed one or more semesters must apply for fall admission by August 21.

Campus tours are available at all of Columbia State’s campuses. New students can schedule an in-person tour or learn about upcoming virtual admissions events.

Upon acceptance, new students must schedule an appointment with an adviser to register for classes and attend an orientation session. Columbia State advisors are ready to help students with the registration process, answer questions and create a plan based on their individual needs.

Applications are free and currently being accepted online at www.columbiastate.edu/apply.   

Farm City Breakfast (Press Release)

The Maury Alliance Agribusiness Committee invites you to the annual Farm City Breakfast honoring the agriculture and agribusiness industry of Maury County.

This year's Farm City Breakfast will be held on Friday, April 17th, at the Ridley

4-H Center. The breakfast line opens at 6:45 am with the program beginning at 7:00 am and concluding by 8:30 am. 

The Keynote Speaker is Colonel Littleton, and a Maury County Century Farm will be honored.

There is no charge to attend the breakfast, however they will be collecting donations during the event for the 2026 Farm City Scholarship Memorial Fund. This year, scholarships will be given in memory of Mary Susan Kennedy.

The Agribusiness Committee invites you to become a sponsor of the 2026 Farm City Breakfast! Your contribution allows us to continue this successful event as well as provide scholarships to Maury County students.

Mule Day Back (CDH)

The 52nd annual Mule Day will commence next month, bringing back the traditional celebration of the crooked ear workhorse, as well as commemorating America's 250th anniversary.

Carrying the theme, "Red, White & Mule," Mule Day will kick off, as is tradition, with the Mule Day Wagon Train making its annual two-day trek through rural Middle Tennessee to Maury County Park, with main events taking place over three days April 9-11.

Mule Day President Harvey Spann, one of the organizers behind the festival's original 1974 revival, said changing the schedule to three days instead of four was partly due to Sunday typically being less active, especially for those traveling far and wide to attend Mule Day.

"Every year is unique, and the fact it continues to be a big interest for everybody in Columbia, and Tennessee as a whole," Spann said. "People keep coming, and we continue because people have the interest. We like to think Mule Day put Columbia, Tennessee on the map since the 1800s as the mule capital of the world."

It is also an opportunity for Mule Day visitors to take an extra day for sightseeing and shopping at local Columbia businesses.

"We have a lot of people that travel to come here, and it's difficult to keep them here, and so they usually use Sunday as a travel day," Spann said. "We don't want to feel like we are running them off, but to come see Columbia. Come early and stay late, and those who stay can still stay at the park but also visit other things in Maury County that are of interest."

Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder stated in his welcome letter in the 2026 Mule Day program how the event "will offer memories you'll treasure for years to come."

Over 100,000 visitors from all 50 states and countries around the world travel the globe to attend Mule Day events, especially its flagship event, the annual parade on Saturday.

"Mule Day has grown from a local idea into a internationally recognized celebration of community, culture and tradition," Molder said.

Leading the 2026 Mule Day Parade, which will keep its traditional route beginning at Carmack Boulevard and then onto West 7th Street, will be Maury County native and two-time consecutive Daytona 500 NASCAR champion Sterling Marlin.

"They have asked him several times before, but he was always out there racing and was not in town during Mule Day," Louise Mills, another longtime Mule Day organizer, said. "Now that he is out of that field, he has more time."

This year's Mule Day events will also spotlight some of its newer events, such as the Classiest and Trashiest Wagon Show, which debuted in 2025, and will take place at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 9.

"There are a lot of people who spend a lot of money and have nice wagons, but then we still have those boys and girls that come in kind of a rough-looking wagon, as long as it has four wheels and air stays in the tires," Spann joked.

The 2026 Mule Day will also honor America's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and how one of the nation's founding fathers was also a major mule trader.

While known as the first U.S. President, George Washington is also credited as the "Father of the American Mule," having brought two jennets gifted by King Charles III of Spain across the Atlantic Ocean to Mount Vernon in 1785.

Mule Day will pay recognition to Washington and the country's semi-quincentennial as part of this year's lineup of the coveted annual Mule Day knives, of which 250 "Anniversary" knives will be available for purchase, first come, first serve.

In recognition of the mule's history in the U.S., Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt noted in her welcome statement in this year's program how the mule has been known as the "engine of early America."

"From plowing the first family farms to hauling supplies across rugged terrain, mules helped build roads, towns and livelihoods long before modern machinery took over," Butt stated. "The mule's reputation for endurance, resilience and sure-footed reliability made them indispensable partners to farmers, soldiers and pioneers alike.

"In many ways, the story of the mule mirrors the story of our country — steadfast, hardworking, adaptable and proudly rooted in tradition."

The time-honored tradition of Mule Day, now in its sixth decade post-revival, continues to draw large crowds of all ages every year.

Spann noted that part of its continued success, as well as his belief that it will continue for many more years, is that Mule Day is more than about competition and bragging rights, but a community that continues to grow while honoring tradition year after year.

"It will go on, and we have a lot of really dedicated and good people working here," Spann said. "We are blessed that we get that many people with an interest to keep Mule Day alive. I think it will go on, because we've got a lot of people that have been part of Mule Day forever, and they have gone on and Mule Day continues to go.

"Mule Day wants it, and Columbia, Tennessee wants it, and so we just try to keep it going."

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

Christine Young Haskin, 87, a resident of Culleoka, passed away Monday, March 23, 2026 at NHC Healthcare Oakwood in Lewisburg.

Graveside services will be conducted Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 2:30 PM at Scribner’s Mill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. 

James “Jim, Jimmy” Jackson Tucker Jr., 79, passed away March 22, at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville following open heart surgery.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

And now, news from around the state…

L.L. Bean Coming to Cool Springs (Tennessean)

An outdoor lifestyle brand is expanding with its first store in Tennessee.

L.L.Bean is planning to open an 18,000-square-foot shop at Cool Springs Galleria in Franklin on July 17.

"We’re eager to... introduce L.L.Bean to even more people who appreciate classic style, time outdoors and products built to last," said Corey Bouyea, vice president of stores and retail operations at L.L.Bean. "Franklin’s proximity to Nashville, strong sense of community and centrality to incredible outdoor spaces make it a natural fit for us, and we’re excited to become part of such a dynamic town."

L.L.Bean was founded in Maine in 1912.

The Tennessee store opening will follow L.L.Bean's seven new store openings this year, including its first location in Florida. Including this year's planned openings, L.L. Bean will have a total of 76 stores across 21 states, the Tennessean reported in Dec. 2025. 

The new Franklin store will carry a selection of outdoor clothing designed for any season.

L.L.Bean’s signature products, including the Maine Hunting Shoe, Field Coat, Boat and Tote, and Chamois Shirt, will be available alongside moisture-wicking shirts, breathable summer styles, weather-resistant outerwear and cozy layers.

All products are designed in Maine with a focus on functionality and heritage style.

The company has not yet announced details regarding hiring or grand opening events, but more information, including hiring details and grand opening festivities, is expected to be released in the coming months.

Gas Prices (MSM)

Gas prices across the state moved 30 cents more expensive, on average, over last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.64 which is $1.09 more expensive than one month ago and 96 cents more than one year ago.  

“Tennessee pump prices have risen over a dollar more expensive since the beginning of the month, and we’re now seeing the most expensive gas prices since August 2022,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Elevated crude oil prices, the seasonal switch to summer blend gasoline and an expected rise in gasoline demand are all placing upward pressure on prices at the pump.”

Tennessee drivers seeing most expensive gas since 2022

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Historic Rippavilla invites guests to take a trip by to March of 1862, when the area was overrun with soldiers and gunfire as the Civil War waged through Tennessee.

Living History Day at Rippavilla, a new event presented by The Independent Rifles, will reenact the occupation of Rippavilla 164 years ago.

The event, which takes place at the 5700 Main Street property, will start at 9 a.m. Saturday.

In addition, abbreviated tours of the historic property will be available for $15, as well as other activities taking place throughout the day.

Learn more by visiting www.boft.org/rippavilla