Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 4-20-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for April 20, 2026

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

Grimes Murder Investigation Continues (MSM)

The Giles County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) searched a property last week in relation to the 2021 murder of Jim Grimes at his Buford Station Road home near Lynnville.

Giles County Sheriff Joe Purvis confirmed that his office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security and 22nd Judicial District Attorney officials executed a search warrant on a Buford Station Road property in northern Giles County in connection to the homicide, which took place in April 2021.

Grimes, 62 at the time of his death, was fatally shot while feeding livestock in the barn at his Lynnville residence, which he shared with wife Dawn. Local and state law enforcement have continued to follow leads to find who is responsible for his death, including family and friends offering a $1 million reward.

Grimes was in the mechanical and collision repair business in Spring Hill and Thompson Station. He had served a Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce board member for 15 years at the time of his murder. He was honored in 2023 when the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved naming a portion of the city’s multi-use trail in his memory.

In October 2021, GCSO officials confirmed they had a person of interest, saying they were missing a puzzle piece in the case. At the time, the person of interest was not cooperating with the investigation.

In November 2022, then-Giles County Sheriff Kyle Helton’s department released information that state of the art technology and investigative techniques, including DNA analysis and genealogy, had allowed investigators to develop new leads.

“To protect the integrity of the investigation, we are unable to share specific details at this time, however, based on the investigation to date, it saddens us to advise that we believe the person(s) responsible for Jim’s death are members of our small community,” Helton said at the time.

Helton added investigators believed there were people remaining in the community who were familiar with the circumstances surrounding the case. 

Last week, Purvis emphasized his department’s determination to solve the case.

“April 19 will be the five-year anniversary of that homicide,” Purvis said. “It’s our only unsolved homicide in Giles County, and we haven’t forgotten about it. We’re still actively working on the case.”

Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to call the sheriff’s office at 363-3505 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND

Two Schools Earn Anne Dallas Dudley Award (Press Release)

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett and Senator Joey Hensley personally presented Mt. Pleasant High School and Santa Fe Unit School with the prestigious Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award. Both schools were awarded for the third consecutive year on Friday, for helping to register 100 percent of their eligible students to vote…73 for Mt. Pleasant and 23 for Santa Fe.

Mt. Pleasant Student ambassadors Brianca Divine, Emma King, and Devanie Benson were recognized for their work in the successful drive.

“73 students is an incredibly impressive number, and I couldn’t be prouder of the student ambassadors and school staff for understanding the power they hold in becoming a registered voter here in Tennessee,” said Secretary Hargett. “Their commitment to voter registration demonstrates their commitment to the community and is an example to others.”

Secretary Hargett also recognized Mt. Pleasant High School Principal Eric Hughes, Special Education Teacher Dr. Seth Campbell, Maury County Administer of Elections Chris Mackinlay, and Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt. Sen. Hensley and Representative Kip Capley received praise for being instrumental in helping to expand efforts to increase civic engagement across their districts.

Santa Fe’s Student ambassadors Mason Odom and Ethan Kincaid were recognized for their efforts in the successful drive.

“Seeing schools such as Santa Fe Unit School succeed for three consecutive years in registering student voters affirms my belief that the future of Tennessee is bright,” said Secretary Hargett. “The student ambassador’s commitment to their fellow students is laudable and an example for everyone in the community.”

Santa Fe Unit School Business Teacher Jan Thomason accepted the award on the school’s behalf. 

The Anne Dallas Dudley Awards are open to all Tennessee public, charter/private school, and home school associations. This award is named in honor of renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley, who helped lead the successful effort to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. On Aug. 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state needed to give women the right to vote. 

For more information about the Anne Dallas Dudley Awards and other civic engagement efforts offered through the Secretary of State’s office, please visit sos.tn.gov/civics.   

Farm City Breakfast (WKOM Audio 1:59)

On Friday, Maury Alliance hosted their annual Farm City Breakfast where a century farm was honored. Front Porch Radio’s Delk Kennedy attended the event and spoke to farmer Mark Benderman and TN Farm Bureau President Eric Mayberry about the state of agriculture in Maury County.

Miracle League (WKOM Audio 9:49)

On Friday, the Miracle League baseball field held their opening day. Front Porch Radio’s Drake Pugh attended the first games and spoke to volunteers Carol Ann Gent and Lacey Cherry, Vice Mayor Randy McBroom, Miracle League Vice President Julie Beck, former Major League Baseball Player Dan Uggla, and founder and President Robin Eastep about what the ballfield provides to the community.

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

Dennis Michael LeMay, 60, resident of Columbia, passed away on April 11, 2026 at Magnolia Healthcare and Rehabilitation.

Graveside services will be conducted on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Pisgah Cemetery. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com

And now, news from around the state…

Ogles Has Less Than $100K, But That’s Not New (TNLookout)

Middle Tennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ 2026 campaign has less money than his Republican challenger and three Democrats vying for his seat. 

But the two-term congressman has been outraised in both primary and general elections before, only to cruise to victory each time. 

Ogles has around $85,000 in his campaign account as of the end of March, the latest U.S. Federal Election Commission filings show. Among the roughly 370 U.S. Congress members running for reelection, Ogles is one of 16 incumbents with less than $100,000 cash on hand.

His GOP primary opponent, former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, has around $150,000 in his campaign account and has so far outraised Ogles this election cycle. Ogles has raised around $450,000 and Hatcher $550,000

Ogles represents the 5th district, which spans from Lebanon, through the lower third of Nashville and the eastern half of Williamson County, across Maury, Marshall and Lewis counties. 

He’s represented the district since it was redrawn in 2022, as part of state Republicans’ successful gerrymandering of Nashville across three congressional seats to eliminate a Democratic-held seat. The 5th district had not been held by a Republican since the end of Reconstruction in the 1870s, until Ogles’ nearly 14-percentage point victory over Nashville state Sen. Heidi Campbell.

Campbell outraised Ogles in 2022, and in 2024, his Republican primary opponent, Metro Nashville Councilmember Courtney Johnston, brought in significantly more donations than Ogles did. Johnston also received more support from independent expenditure PACs than Ogles. 

These groups attacked Ogles over those controversies, but he beat Johnston by 13-percentage points.

National Democrats have targeted Tennessee’s 5th District as a potential seat to flip in 2026. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district as likely Republican. 

The Democratic primary has three candidates who have raised over $100,000, including Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, who has raised nearly $1.8 million this cycle. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has thrown its support behind Molder. 

The other candidates in the Democratic primary are Metro Nashville Council member Mike Cortese ($533,000 raised), Jim Torina ($117,000) and Joyce Neal ($6,600).

The primary election for both parties is on Aug. 6, and the general election is on Nov. 3.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Teddy Swims announced his first headlining arena tour, “The Ugly Tour,” kicking off in September, stopping at Bridgestone Arena on October 16th.

The “Lose Control” singer spent more than 100 weeks on the Hot 100, making him a fixture across radio and streaming and cementing his rise from viral favorite to one of the most in-demand live performers in music.

The general on-sale for the Teddy Swims’ tour begins Friday, April 24, 2026, at 10 a.m. local time. You can track any Teddy Swims show on SeatGeek and get notified as soon as tickets drop.