Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 3-4-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for March 4, 2026

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

Democrat Caucus (CDH)

As election season continues to pick up, the Maury County Democratic Party hosted its 2026 caucus Saturday, Feb. 28, to elect ballot nominees for the upcoming August primaries.

The caucus, which took place at Columbia State Community College's Ledbetter Auditorium, drew 59 participants and 55 eligible votes.

The nominations resulted in two candidates for the Maury County Commission, including Winston Harlin for District 3 and Democratic Party Chairman James Dallas for District 4.

Dallas told the Daily Herald his purpose for running was, for one, to have more Democrats in the pot come election time. He also hopes it encourages more Democratic voters to participate in the process, especially in an historically red state.

"Of course, I had wished we had more people turn out, but given we only had two serious candidates by the day of the caucus, I can understand people preferring to spend a beautiful day either at home or outside, and Saturday was a really nice day," Dallas said.

Prior to the Feb. 28 caucus, Dallas posted Feb. 19 he was not the biggest fan of the process compared to primary and general elections.

"I called the first Democratic Party caucus in Maury County in living memory in 2022, so that we could nominate my friend Jeremy Humphrey for county commissioner in District 7," the post reads. "With that said, my experiences in trying to organize - and explain the rules for - our events have caused me to dislike the caucus process. "Caucuses can be long meetings. Most people don't have the time to fool around with politics for several hours. Moreover, voters deserve to have a voice in party affairs even if they have not been regular primary voters."

Dallas also said this is but one part of a larger election process, and that the Aug. 6 primary could be a more accurate indicator as far as local Democratic voter participation.

"There are many advantages to polling a primary, the first being the process is run by professionals, and so it tends to run a bit more smoothly where people don't have to stay for a meeting," Dallas said. "For anyone who has concerns for childcare or aren't able to stand around very long, obviously a primary is going to be easier for them."

The Democratic Party caucus comes one week after Maury County's Republican Party held its caucus, which resulted in voters choosing incumbent Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt as its party candidate, among other nominees for Maury County Commission, Maury County Constable and Maury County School Board.

Prior to the Feb. 21 Republican Party caucus, District 8 Maury County Commissioner Gabe Howard, who previously said he would also be seeking the county mayor office as a Republican, declared he would still have his name in the race, only now as an independent.

CPWS Water Intake (MSM)

CPWS CEO Jonathan Hardin recently sat down with Main Street Maury to address questions raised about the condition of the city’s current dam for water intake and how the utility got the $520 million estimate quoted for new water intake and treatment infrastructure.

Between the Columbia City Council’s two votes on a rate increase to fund the intake project, Maury County Commissioner Gabe Howard sent CPWS 11 records requests about the project. CPWS staff worked for several weeks to render the information he requested into readable documents and tables. Howard shared his CPWS correspondence and requested records with Main Street Maury.

Though the results ran into the hundreds of pages, Howard thinks that two requested documents are still missing, which would contain information that would have been essential to the utility’s decision-making process and public representations about the need for a new intake.

One was official documentation of the state of the 100-year-old dam on Riverside Drive, behind which CPWS’s only water intake valve is located. The utility’s leaders have told the city council and the public that the dam is in danger of “failing,” which is one reason for seeking to move the intake.

CPWS shared two of TDEC’s biannual Certificates of Approval with Howard, from 2023 and 2025. Though they gave CPWS permission to continue operating the intake behind the dam, TDEC indicated that the dam’s potential for damage is “significant,” the middle rating. CPWS declined to share TDEC’s classified full reports with him.

“Our engineers and legal counsel have advised that the information you have requested is not public-facing data and is considered to be exempt from disclosure pursuant to T.C.A. § 10-7-504,” a utility representative told Howard in an email. “[It] could identify structural or operational vulnerabilities [in the current dam and intake], and as such it is exempt from disclosure.”

The other material Howard asked for, but didn’t receive, was documentation of the bidding and cost-estimating process for the new intake, 17-mile pipeline, and water treatment facility that CPWS presented to the city council. Howard has expressed disbelief that the city council would be asked to allow CPWS to increase consumer water rates to fund the project without being able to show publicly available documents to back up the cost.

CPWS CEO Jonathan Hardin explained to Main Street Maury how CPWS arrived at the quoted price. The utility got its cost estimate from the Alabama-based firm Brasfield & Gorrie, who have entered what’s called a CMAR agreement, short for “construction manager at-risk,” with CPWS. The tasks of calculating the project cost, then of bidding it out and finally of making sure the work comes in at or under Guaranteed Maximum Price, have been entrusted to Brasfield & Gorrie.

“[The CMAR process] allows you to get construction professionals involved on the front end, to correct all the things you think you have designed really well… [but which may not work] out in the field,” Hardin explained.

When he started his career as an engineer of 22, Hardin quickly discovered that his elegant designs didn’t always translate perfectly into real-world structures. He watched his fellow engineers bang heads with contractors who had edited their blueprints for workability. They sometimes even sued one another, especially when the edited projects became longer and more expensive than expected. A good CMAR will minimize or head off this type of conflict, Hardin said, by bringing their building experience to the design stage and taking on responsibility for keeping contractors on budget.

“When you get those wise old heads up front, they will help you make those [practical] changes,” he summarized, and added that other utilities have started making CMAR arrangements in the last 15 years for the same reasons. “You [also] give yourself a lot more certainty of staying on schedule and cost… [because] once they give you a number, they are not going to want to exceed that number.”

CPWS selected Brasfield & Gorrie as the most experienced firm for a project of the size, because of their track record working for utilities in Huntsville. Brasfield & Gorrie estimated the price of the intake, pipeline and treatment facility by referring to previous examples, their contractors’ experience, and the latest market rates for materials and labor. Because of Brasfield & Gorrie’s due diligence, Hardin is confident that the quote is within five percent, over or under, of what the project will actually cost.

Because the estimating process and ongoing bidding are all taking place in-house at Brasfield & Gorrie, however, Hardin confirmed for Main Street Maury what Howard was told: they arrived at the estimate based on the CMAR’s expertise, not by taking bids, and therefore they have no bidding documents on hand.

“Right now our pricing is completely estimate[d], we have no bids yet… It’s a chicken-and-egg thing,” the CEO explained. “[And] I don’t want to put a spotlight on estimates, because [now] we’re able to go to the market and find out the actual costs relative to those estimates.”

As a practical matter, Hardin said, CPWS had to get Brasfield & Gorrie to sketch the egg for the city council before they could find a chicken to lay the real thing: they needed the city council’s consent, and backing for possible rate increases, in order to start getting bidders. Right now, heavy construction services are a seller’s market, and the really reliable and competent firms don’t want to enter an agreement with a utility whose project might fall through or run out of money.

“With [the city council’s rate vote] in hand, it emboldened our CMAR to go to the market… and show those folks that there’s a commitment,” Hardin said. He also remains confident that state law and Brasfield & Gorrie’s expertise will get CPWS the lowest bids from a prequalified pool of high-level applicants, whose bids are expected by late spring 2026. “Our CMAR is in the process of securing those bids that would comprise our final guaranteed maximum price.”

Unemployment Spike Not Long-Term (CDH)

Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance's latest quarterly report shows a rising unemployment rate, due to temporary layoffs at General Motors and furloughs at Ultium Cells in Spring Hill during the start of the year.

Maury Alliance President Wil Evans delivered the quarterly presentation to members of Columbia City Council on Feb. 12.

Most recent data as of December 2025 shows that Maury County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, or 5.7%, primarily due to temporary layoffs, affecting 700 workers at GM due to changes in its manufacturing process during the first part of the year.

"It is still a good unemployment rate compared to where we were back in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 when we were in the double digits, oftentimes close to 20%," Evans said.

"Some of that is being impacted by General Motors and the suppliers there. We know both Ultium Cells and General Motors have pulled back to one shift, while they are retooling and getting ready for some new product, which is ultimately going to be a positive."

Over 700 Ultium Cells workers have also experienced furloughs. Ultium produces the battery for the GM Lyriq.

The layoffs at GM began in January with a return date of May 11, while the plant alters its production cycle, including ceasing production of the Cadillac Lyriq and Vistiq, produced in Spring Hill. Production changes also include the addition of new 2026 products, such as the next generation Cadillac XT5 and gas-powered Chevrolet Blazer.

Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance's January economic development dashboard reflects 20 current major projects with an investment reaching $474 million.

Evans also highlighted the top industry workforce populations in Maury County.

He said manufacturing and trade services currently draw the largest workforce in the county, while agriculture consists of only about 1% of the overall workforce, even though it is Maury County's No. 1 economic producing industry.

"If you look at a farm operation compared to a large manufacturing operation, you have hundreds of people, sometimes thousands of people, whereas on a farm operation you just have a smaller number of people there, and often a lot falling under that five-person threshold," Evans said.

A few other 2025 economic highlights include employers taking a non-traditional approach to the workforce.

"There are people who may be leaving incarceration or may be dealing with issues but are really striving for opportunities to better their lives," Evans said. "We are trying to connect the dots there."

Evans concluded by acknowledging Maury Alliance's Enhance Maury campaign, which began in 2025.

"Our focus moving forward is to focus on community enhancement," he said. "We are striving not to just make things bigger, but better as a community."

Columbia’s Puppeteer (CDH)

They might start with just a few pieces of cloth, wiring and a molded coating, but with a little magic and modern animatronic technology, Steve Axtell's creations are brought to life.

Axtell's lifelong passion for puppet design was sewn at a young age, creating his first puppet at age 14. Since then, it has become a budding career that continues to discover new ways of mixing tradition with the modern age, bringing practical effects to the stage, at local businesses, amusement parks and on the big screen.

Axtell, founder of Axtell Expressions, began his career in his native California, where he spent many years creating puppets and animatronic figures for shows like "America's Got Talent," as well as his own PBS series of educational films and a YouTube channel.

"It all just came natural, from building different people or using blocks, making them do stop-motion stuff," Axtell said. "I did later go and do a few years in art college ... but everything is self-taught."

His work can also be seen in the Eddie Murphy Netflix documentary, "Being Eddie," where Axtell created ventriloquist puppets of Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby.

In 2023, Axtell moved his studio to Columbia, filled with an assortment of figures, masks, as well as a large animatronic Bigfoot. There are also six singing and dancing chickens that, with just a flick of a switch, can transform the studio into a clucking night club.

"Normally, we are creating things that go all over the world, and we work with 80 different countries," Axtell said.

What drew Axtell to Tennessee, he said, was due in large part to a former project where he was commissioned to create 100 of his animatronic chickens for Dolly Parton's restaurant in Pigeon Forge.

Much of the technology and animatronics are overseen by Axtell's assistant Dennis Mingo.

"Steve designs what you see, and I design what makes it move," Mingo said. "Some of them are simpler than others, like ones where performers will take them on the road. Some of them come with remotes, like for ventriloquists. We are always looking to do something a little different."

Though Axtell has amassed such a wide catalog of creations seen around the world, the most exciting one, he says, is the next one.

"It is always what I am currently working on," Axtell said. "Right now, we are working on a miniature Gavin Newsom that will be on 'America's Got Talent,' and we have an Elon Musk version of this, which we are casting his head right now. When Dennis makes the bodies move and stuff, it is just exciting now that we use AI. It wasn't like that in the old days."

Axtell is set to debut a brand-new creation, this time in the form of a wisecracking iguana named Nacho, created in partnership with Tequila's Mexican Restaurant, 1547 Bear Creek Pike.

Not only is Nacho a new creation, but he also comes pre-programmed with a personality, using AI technology in ways that allow customers to interact and have conversations.

As a consummate entertainer, Nacho also raps and can tell jokes.

"He knows he is a lizard, knows he is inside of the restaurant," Axtell said. "We have trained the agent that it's using, given it the voice, behavior and what it's knowledge base is."

Tequila's General Manager Jonathan Huerta said the restaurant has no set date for Nacho to make his grand premiere, but he will certainly be an exciting addition.

"We are trying to work out where we are going to place him, or if he can be mobile and move around the restaurant," Huerta said. "That's our next thing. We have quite a few other projects in the works as well, but I am really excited about this one."

Bright Apple Expands (MSM)

Bright Apple, a local nonprofit organization that provides healthy snacks to students in elementary schools in Maury County, has added Battle Creek Elementary as the 10th Bright Apple School. Since 2019, Bright Apple has delivered nutritious snacks like apples, bananas and pears to students to help them thrive academically.

Other schools Bright Apple serves include J. R. Baker Elementary, Joseph Brown Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Riverside Elementary, Randolph Howell Elementary, J.E. Woodard Elementary, Mount Pleasant Elementary, Spring Hill Elementary, and Marvin Wright Elementary. Bright Apple is now serving more than 2,000 snacks every school day!

“We are incredibly grateful for Bright Apple’s generous support in providing healthy snacks for our students at Battle Creek Elementary,” said Laura Duncan, principal of Battle Creek Elementary School. “These snacks help ensure our students have the nourishment they need to stay focused and ready to learn each day. We are also proud to partner with Bright Apple and help expand their reach in combating food insecurity, strengthening support for our families and community while removing barriers to student success.”

Removing barriers to student success is at the core of Bright Apple’s mission. The organization aims to help close the achievement gap among food insecure students in the community.

“Food insecurity is a reality for many children in our community,” said Charity Kimes, one of the founders of Bright Apple. “When children are hungry, they cannot learn to the best of their ability. A simple snack can make all the difference!”

Bright Apple has served more than one million snacks to students in Maury County Schools. Schools are added as funds become available. Their goal is to eventually serve all the elementary schools in Maury County and then grow to serve surrounding counties.

“Our community makes our mission possible,” said Melissa Webb, director of Development for Bright Apple. “Bright Apple is still a grassroots effort. We are so thankful for all the businesses, individuals, churches, and organizations that give so generously to help us serve children in our community. We especially want to thank our Diamond Apple sponsors including Ford of Columbia, Hyundai of Columbia, Columbia Collision, United Way of Maury County, Zion Christian Academy, the Mount Pleasant Benefit Ball and the Franklin Noon Rotary Foundation.”

Bright Apple, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization in the State of Tennessee. Bright Apple was founded in 2019 on the belief that no child should go without food. The organization’s mission is to ensure that every elementary school student in Maury County receives a snack during the school day to help them concentrate longer and improve their academic success. For more information about Bright Apple, visit BrightApple.org.

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

Kay Derryberry Rodgers, 83, a resident of Columbia, TN died Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at NHC Maury Regional Transitional Care.

A Memorial Service will be conducted Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Westminster Presbyterian Church. A private burial will occur at Lone Oak Cemetery in Lewisburg. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 12 PM until the service time at the church. 

And now, news from around the state…

Trump Awards Tennessean Medal of Honor (Fox17)

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Master Sergeant Roderick “Roddie” Edmonds, a World War II hero from Knoxville, Tenn., during a ceremony today. Edmonds’ son accepted the nation’s highest military honor on his father’s behalf.

Edmonds, 25 at the time of his service, and more than 1,200 of his men were captured by German forces and sent to a prison camp during the war. According to military records, Nazi officers demanded that Edmonds call forward all Jewish American servicemen, likely intending to execute them.

Refusing to comply, Edmonds told the commander, “We are all Jews here,” even as a Nazi officer placed a pistol against his forehead. Military accounts say Edmonds’ courageous defiance spared the lives of countless soldiers under his command.

Weeks later, Edmonds led his men in a revolt within the camp, forcing German troops to abandon the facility as Allied forces approached.

Edmonds passed away in 1985, leaving behind a legacy of bravery and moral courage that continues to be honored more than 75 years later.

Secretary of State Calls for GoFundMe Accountability (Press Release)

Secretary of State Tre Hargett today along with 23 attorneys general and charitable regulators, sent a letter to GoFundMe, after reports that GoFundMe plagiarized donation web pages for charities nationwide without their prior knowledge or consent. In the letter, the coalition shares their grave concerns about GoFundMe’s misconduct and calls for immediate remedial measures, including providing proof that GoFundMe has removed all unauthorized donation web pages, in the next 14 days.

“The practices of GoFundMe potentially violate several state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws, and our office must be vigilant in protecting Tennessee’s donors and registered charitable organizations,” said Secretary Tre Hargett. “We are pleased to stand with other states in safeguarding our citizens.”

GoFundMe provides an internet platform for people to fundraise and solicit donations, including charities. GoFundMe is a for-profit Delaware corporation headquartered in California and is registered with the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers as a charitable fundraising platform.  Without prior consent or knowledge of charities, GoFundMe plagiarized donation web pages for over 1.4 million charities. The donation pages contained inaccurate information about charities and GoFundMe’s solicitations contained deceptive and misleading acts.

In the letter, the coalition raises potential violations by GoFundMe under numerous state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws and demands that GoFundMe take the following actions immediately: 

• Provide proof that GoFundMe has removed all unauthorized donation web pages.

• Disclose all information that affects a person’s decision to donate, such as who donations were made to in lieu of the charities GoFundMe plagiarized. 

• Explain how GoFundMe ensured its donation web pages did not display in internet search results above a charity’s official web sites or fundraising campaigns.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Pollstar’s “firebrand live sensation” Koe Wetzel returns to the road with the aptly named The Night Champion World Tour, a 45-city headlining run this summer and fall. Shane Smith & The Saints, Ole 60, Wyatt Flores, Corey Kent and more join as support. The tour will stop at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, August 8th.

General on sale for all North American dates beginning March 13 at 10 a.m. Get yours at www.thenightchampionworldtour.com.