Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 4-28-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for April 29, 2026

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

Drug Bust (MSM)

Last week Columbia Police arrested an unnamed drug dealer after reportedly finding three pounds of various drugs in his/her residence.

On April 23, officers from the Columbia Police Department, including the Vice and Narcotics divisions, Criminal Investigations, Patrol and Support Services, and the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s office, searched the residence of a previously convicted drug dealer. They reported finding approximately two pounds of rock and powder cocaine, one pound of cannabis and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Haywood expressed his appreciation for the cooperative effort that went into the investigation and the support given from all law enforcement partners.

“I am extremely proud of the efforts and results from this investigation and of the cooperation and teamwork that went into removing these drugs from our streets and holding the individual responsible for selling them in our city accountable,” Haywood said. “Our message is clear: if you choose to sell drugs in our city, we look forward to paying you a visit and holding you accountable for your actions.”

School Accountant Pleads Guilty (MSM)

The Maury County Circuit Court agreed to divert charges against Lesli Hazard, formerly an accountant with Maury County Public Schools.

According to court documents, Hazard was charged with the theft of $11,796 from Whitthorne Middle School, fraudulent use of three credit cards, and falsifying government records, all between May 2025 and Jan. 2026. The State Comptroller’s office lists her as one of the bookkeepers who worked on the school district’s annual audit for FY 2024-25. Charges were brought against her in February and the case was settled on April 7.

Because she pled guilty, was a first-time serious offender and met unspecified criteria for “judicial diversion” in T.C.A. 40-35-113, the court put her on probation lasting four and a half years, with the possibility of expunging the charges after successful probation.

“Maury County Public Schools’ understanding is that Ms. Hazard pled guilty to offenses committed while she was employed as a bookkeeper at Whitthorne Middle School,” said Maury County School System Superintendent Lisa Ventura. “While I cannot comment on the exact nature of her charges, conviction, or sentence, as that is a law-enforcement matter, I can confirm that full restitution was made to Maury County Public Schools.”

County Rezoning (MSM)

The Maury County Commission overruled its Regional Planning Commission twice last week, approving two commercial rezonings against the planning commission’s recommendations. The first rezoning, which won out in a 12-8 vote, was for a 3.5-acre plot on Fountain Creek Road in Culleoka. A few planning commissioners had raised questions about or objections to the approval before voting unanimously against it. One didn’t want to approve such a large parcel for commercial zoning, another planning commissioner had wanted to wait for the county’s comprehensive plan to be finished and another had pointed out that the map in the application contained outdated descriptions of the surrounding area.

“There wasn’t much in the way of substance [to their objections],” stated Robert Caldiraro, director of Building and Zoning. “I don’t know the rationale that they used… just… the reasonings [some gave].”

“I really respect our planning commission, I attend most of the meetings,” County Commissioner Jerry Strahan said, before suggesting the application be sent back to them. “I’m surprised that with a unanimous decision, there’s no more meat behind the thing than there is… [The lot is] beside and behind a commercial piece of property.”

Both commissioners and public commenters spoke unanimously in favor of allowing the rezoning, arguing from the perspective of trust and reputation that the owner, Danny Auville, has built up over decades of activity in the county. County Commissioner Jerry Bridenbaugh, who represents the area, said that to his knowledge neither of the two adjoining neighbors were opposed to the rezoning.

County Commissioner Eric Previti announced that he would vote with the planning commission on both rezonings, since they spent so many hours reviewing the applications. County Commissioner Kathey Grodi, who also attends planning commission meetings, warned her colleagues that they needed to take the planning commission’s recommendations seriously or risk losing their services.

“I think this one is a little bit different,” said county Commissioner Gabe Howard. He and County Commissioner Scott Sumners pointed out that there’s already a Dollar General nearby, which is the kind of development people most fear will be built on vacant commercial lots. “This is not a knock against [the planning commission] at all, I know they put a lot of time and a lot of effort in.”

The county commission also approved, 12-9, a commercial zoning for a 5.9-acre plot on Highway 431, where the Mathews family hopes to open a coffeehouse and host farmers’ markets and Christian events. The proposal had appeared before the county once already, but because of unfavorable feedback, the applicants withdrew it before the county commission could vote on it.

Twice the planning commission voted against it, because of zoning nonconformity, for which cause they had rejected the commercial rezonings of several nearby properties, and concerns about turning traffic on an “arterial” road.

Howard, who represents the prospective coffeehouse’s district, spoke against the project as he has in the past. Though he appreciated the Mathews’ intentions, he pointed out that the planned use doesn’t fit the definition of the “commercial rural center” zoning that the applicants applied for, and unlike the Auville development it isn’t adjoined by commercial properties. Furthermore, Howard said, echoing Planning Commissioner Peder Jensen, if the Mathews family were to sell it, it could be put to any number of more disruptive or unsightly commercial uses, though the family had said they plan to keep it and use it for another business if the coffeehouse fails.

“Tonight we’re voting not on what it’s going to be, [but] what it could be,” Howard said.

“I would respectfully disagree with my fellow commissioner… we’re voting on what it is, not what it could be,” Bridenbaugh responded. “These folks have come to us with a very definitive plan.”

Bridenbaugh pointed out that near the site is a “huge sports complex.”

Sumners compared the turning traffic situation favorably to that of the county fire station down the road, where fire engines have to get in and out of the station at the intersection of Highways 99 and 431.

“I’m going to push hard for this one, because this is exactly what Maury County is supposed to be,” said County Commissioner Mike Kuzawinski. “To vote against that is to… go against our tradition, our heritage, and what we have tried to create here in Maury County.”

Kuzawinski saw the coffeehouse and Christian facility as the sort of small business initiative that’s historically made the county great. He pointed out that the family “have been nothing but cooperative” with the county government, and have committed to widening the driveway for safety and capping their actual commercial facilities at 5,000 square feet.

In both cases, the applicants could have re-applied for approval whenever they wished, which after Monday’s meeting is no longer an option for planning approval applicants.

The county commission also passed some mostly minor revisions and corrections to the county zoning ordinance after approving the Auville and Mathews requests; the most consequential of these is a new 12-month waiting period to submit another application after the failure of the first one.

At the request of Howard, Caldiraro sounded off on a couple of recent hot topics in local development. County Building and Zoning has heavily regulated STEP-type decentralized wastewater systems and is looking into outlawing them. Last November they also closed a loophole allowing “administrative splits” to skirt the county’s five-acre lot minimum, and defined divisions that require infrastructure as “subdivisions,” which must come before the planning commission for approval.

Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt characterized the two items as proof that the county’s civil servants, whether elected, appointed and employed, are responding to constituents’ concerns and honestly facing the county’s developmental challenges.

Other business

The county commission adopted the 2022 CTAS ethics policy, which the Administrative Committee discussed in a previously published Main Street Maury article.

The commission appointed Roger Kelly to Board of Zoning Appeals, Philip Grooms to the E-911 Board and Commissioner Connie Green to Health & Safety Standards Board.

The commission announced a vacancy on its General Sessions Court, caused by the retirement of Judge Bobby Sands, which it intends to fill by appointment next month.

On the financial side, the county received third-quarter accounting reports from its departments. The commission voted to approve a $110,000 change order for the library renovation, to buy a patrol car for the Sheriff’s Department for almost $70,000, and to apply for about $31,300 in opioid abatement funds from the “Remnant” settlement with six opioid distributors.

County Revamps Public Comment Policy (MSM)

The Maury County Commission voted last week to change the rules governing public comment at county government meetings.

More than two-thirds of commissioners, the supermajority required to change rules, agreed to add multiple public-comment periods to each meeting and open the podium to all people who wish to speak on county business.

The expanded rules specifically create a second 30-minute public comment period at the end of each county government meeting, in addition to the one near the beginning. In each of these two periods, commenters may speak — without signing up ahead of time — to any topics that are “germane” to the county’s business and under its jurisdiction, not just the ones on the agenda. The new rules also create a comment period for each agenda item as it comes up in the meeting, though commenters must sign up for these ahead of time.

The county commission also eliminated what has been described as an ambiguously worded “citizenship” requirement for public commenters. Rule 4.1.c, which used to read, “A commissioner may introduce a non-member or citizen of Maury County… to make public comments,” now speaks of only “non-member[s]” of the county commission.

This language became a live issue during one of the meetings where the commission interviewed and eventually hired the new Maury County Attorney, Mark Dobies. At that meeting the outgoing county attorney, Daniel Murphy, informed the Administrative Committee that Chris Gramling, a frequent public commenter who introduces himself as a District 9 constituent, actually lives and votes in Marshall County. The administrative committee decided that allowing Gramling to make further public comments would require a suspension of Rule 4.1.c, and the five-man committee’s 3-2 split vote didn’t meet the two-thirds threshold required to suspend it.

Gramling and his attorney associate, Dustin Kittle, have maintained that even under the old version of Rule 4.1.c, he could have been “introduced” to speak as a “non-member,” as he was invited to by administrative committee member Brandon Nutt. Gramling’s 175-acre farm is divided by the county line, and the end of his driveway is its only confirmed improvement in Maury County. However, he told Main Street Maury that he does a great deal of business in Maury County, which included keeping his business office on the Columbia Square until last summer.

“The [rule] is quite clear, it says a non-member or a citizen,” he said. “I’ll argue with them about my status as a citizen… but even if I granted that to them, I’m a non-member, and they deprived me [of my right to speak].”

“The chairman made a number of judgment calls,” Kittle had earlier stated. “I think that they misapplied the rules.”

Administrative Committee Chairman Eric Previti, one of the two “no” votes, told Main Street Maury that even if the rule’s old language was ambiguous, it was intended to restrict comment to Maury County “citizens” when the commission introduced it four years ago. Back then, the commissioner recalled, a handful of self-proclaimed “sovereign citizens” were in the habit of making disruptive and insulting public comments. The commission put the “citizen” language in the rules to exclude them, but they didn’t define the word anywhere in their Rules and Regulations.

Kittle commended the rule change during his own public comment at the commission meeting, for eliminating the ambiguities and room for error created by the old one.

“It’s not very easy to determine who’s a ‘citizen of Maury County,'” agreed James Dallas, who is running to represent District 4 on the county commission.

“If you leave it open, there’s no chaos; somebody gets their three minutes,” said County Commissioner Scott Sumners.

Commissioner Davis Burkhalter moved to amend the new rule by restricting public comment to people with a tangible interest in the county: residents, property owners and business owners. Though a couple of his colleagues sympathized with the pro-stakeholder sentiment, most of the others voted it down.

Commissioners Mike Kuzawinski, Gabe Howard and Jerry Strahan pointed out that it would rule out non-residents with good input, like people looking to move here, or caregivers of adult children speaking on behalf of homebound elderly residents.

“I don’t think [public commenters are] doing it for fun,” Howard said. “There’s a lot more things they could be doing than coming to the Maury County Commission.”

The “decorum” rules governing public and commissioner comment also came up for debate, though they weren’t on the agenda. Kittle, recalling times in the last year or so when he and other public commenters had been threatened with ejection from meetings for criticizing certain officials by name, argued that the decorum rules, or their application, could violate constitutional speech protections.

Some commissioners were open to giving themselves the right of “rebuttal,” of correcting untrue statements or defending themselves from character attacks, during the public comment period. Current rules allow them only to rebut personal attacks at the end of the meeting, not in real time.

“I kind of feel like people are being tried here in front of a county commission, and we’re [also] not allowed to have a discussion,” said Commissioner Chad Brothers. “I would love to have a discussion [about business broached in public comment], but our rules say that we cannot.”

“I have no problem with constituents getting up here and speaking their minds, good or bad,” replied Commissioner Mike Kuzawinski. “We have to have thick-enough skin.”

During discussion, Sumners reminded his colleagues that the General Assembly had just passed an amendment to T.C.A. 8-44-112 (HB0022/SB0178) loosening the old rules for public comment. According to the General Assembly’s official page for the bill, local governing bodies must now allow public comment on “any matter germane to the jurisdiction of the governing body, regardless of whether the matter is listed on the agenda for the meeting.”

“Public comment is public comment,” Sumners said, arguing that they should open up public comment as much as they could, in the spirit of the state laws which are the basis and default for local law.

Kittle found time to praise the commissioners who were for loosening the rules.

“One of the positives that I see in what has happened over the last few months is, I think this county commission is embracing transparency and… free speech as a whole,” he said.

Southern Springs Crafts Gives to Charities (MSM)

What started with a few rolls of surplus curtain fabric and a community looking for purpose at the end of a pandemic has blossomed into an almost $100,000 philanthropic powerhouse.  

The Southern Springs Ladies Solos Club is preparing for its sixth annual “Crafts for a  Cause” Spring Market on May 6. Since its inception, the event has raised $86,600 for local charities. With this year’s “Focus on the Good” theme, organizers expect to cross the six-figure milestone in lifetime donations.  

“The first year, we had a bake sale and different craft items that people made. Much to our surprise, we earned $5,000,” said Sue Tinker, who co-chairs the event with Betsy Hollis. “That’s when I realized that our community is extremely generous.”  

The market serves as the culmination of a year-long effort by a committee of roughly 20 residents and more than 50 event-day volunteers who dedicate hundreds of hours to crafting, sorting and coordinating the sale. 

Every year, the group identifies a “signature project” to anchor the sale. For 2026, it is a professional-grade cookbook featuring more than 220 recipes from community members. To promote the book, Tinker has been visiting neighbors for a photo series titled “Real Cooks Wear Aprons.”  

“I ask the women who put their recipe in the book to model one of our beautiful aprons,” Tinker mentioned as she unfolded an apron. “Photos are taken in their kitchen, and then we put a couple lines together about what the recipe means to them. The photos are featured on our neighborhood social media.”  

The aprons themselves are a staple of the market, born from a massive donation of  beautiful fabric. The group has since expanded into “magic sweatshirts,” gemstone jewelry and “boo-boo” rice bags that can be heated or frozen for pain relief. Popular items include hand-crafted bluebird houses, homegrown tomato, basil and lime-green zinnia plants. 

While the crafting is a central draw, the event’s financial engine is a silent auction that  frequently brings in more than $10,000. This year’s auction features high-ticket items ranging from a pizza oven to $1,000 toward a closet makeover. 

Many local merchants generously donate goods and services to this event. The proceeds from these sales are strictly distributed to vetted non-profits. The 2026  

“Worthy Causes” include Bright Apple, the Special Olympics of Maury County, Backlight Productions and the MTSU Charlie Daniels Veteran Center.

“Our Causes Committee contacts each organization suggested by our community,” Tinker said. “Then they start interviewing, visiting and vetting places before selecting the four causes.”  

The event also features the “Cafe for a Cause” on the back patio, where volunteers grill hamburgers, hot dogs, breakfast and bakery items for attendees. 

For Tinker, the market is about more than just the final check presented to a charity; it is about helping people. The Spring Market will be held at the Southern Springs Lodge (2000 Southern Springs Pkwy). Doors open to residents at 9 a.m. and to the general public from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

“It’s a great place to get beautifully handmade items that are made here in Tennessee,” Tinker said. “And it supports worthy causes in the area — that’s really our goal.”

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

Roy Eugene Jones, 78, a resident of Columbia, TN, passed away Friday, April 24, 2026, at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends on Saturday from 12:00 pm until the service time at the funeral home.

Reba Alderson Meador, age 95, a longtime resident of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away April 27th.

Graveside services will be conducted on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends at the cemetery following the services.

And now, news from around the state…

Ten Commandments Bill Passes (CDH)

Tennessee lawmakers have backed off a mandate to post the Ten Commandments in public schools, instead advancing a scaled-down version of a bill that would make the displays optional.

Lawmakers on April 23 approved a compromise version of HB0047, clearing it for the governor’s desk after weeks of internal debate over how far the state should go.

The final version drops earlier language that would have required schools to display the Ten Commandments. Instead, it allows public and charter schools to post the document, along with other historical texts, if they choose.

Lawmakers described the shift as a strategic move to improve the bill’s chances of surviving a court challenge.

The compromise came after negotiations between House and Senate leaders over the bill’s wording and legal footing. Some lawmakers pushed for language modeled on prior court-tested cases, while others argued the state should move forward even if the bill is challenged.

“For us to sit back and do nothing is a disservice to our children,” co-sponsor Rep. Michael Hale, R-Smithville, said. “To not take this stand … is a huge letdown to our faith and our children.”

Under the final measure, schools would be permitted to display the Ten Commandments alongside documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The displays could be funded through private donations, limiting costs to school districts.

Tennessee joins a growing list of Republican-led states testing how far they can go in embracing religious texts in public schools, setting up legal battles that could again reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Centennial Park Conservancy announced that Musicians Corner, Nashville’s beloved free concert series, is returning this spring for its 17th year with five weeks of live music in Centennial Park, kicking off May 15. The multi-genre series will showcase a variety of performers at 11 concerts over the course of five weeks. Musicians Corner will take place every Friday from 5 – 9 p.m. and Saturday from 12 – 6 p.m. from May 15 to June 13, with a special Sunday performance over Memorial Day Weekend (May 24).

Learn more at www.conservancyonline.com.