Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 5-28-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for May 28, 2026

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

State Comptroller Visits Columbia (MSM)

In a speech to the Columbia Noon Rotary Club two weeks ago, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower presented important economic indicators for both the state and Maury County.

The 114th General Assembly passed a $58.3 billion budget for FY 2027. Half of it was funded by state revenue (mostly sales tax), a third came from the federal government, and the rest from disparate sources like college tuition and franchise and excise taxes. The state’s top five expenses accounted for $47.7 billion, or four-fifths of the budget: TennCare, education at all levels, social services, transportation and corrections.

The state’s unemployment rate in March was 3.6 percent, compared to the national rate of 4.3 percent. Mumpower noted that a fraction of a percent left the workforce around the time of COVID and haven’t yet returned. The state’s labor force participation rate of 59.4 percent is lower than the national rate of 61.9 percent, but Middle Tennessee’s participation rate is greater, at 63.4 percent.

Mumpower also celebrated the state’s good, and improving, reputation as a business-friendly environment: number three Best for Business according to Chief Executive magazine, number four Best Business Climate in Site Selection, and number 10 state in which to start a business according to Yahoo. Tennessee also has fewer officially distressed counties than it did when the Lee administration took office, down from 15 to 11.

The state’s population has grown and continues to do so, to 7.3 million according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making it the 15th-largest state. U-Haul ranked it the fourth-fastest-growing state behind Texas, Florida and North Carolina, using its database of one-way rentals from one state to the next. The states losing the most people, said Comptroller Communications Director John Dunn, are high-tax environments like California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Maury is the second-fastest-growing county in the state and the 62nd-fastest in the nation, adding 17 percent to its population since 2020.

Tourism, Tennessee’s biggest industry behind agriculture, brought in 147 million visitors who spent $31.5 billion in Tennessee, or $87 million per day, in 2024. Without those tourists, Mumpower said, the average household would pay an additional $1,170 in taxes.

All these factors add up to give Tennessee a very healthy fiscal outlook. It has close to the lowest tax burden per capita, a funded pension program, the lowest state debt in the country and an unprecedented rainy-day fund of $2.21 billion.

City Considers Pipeline Project (MSM)

At its study session, the Columbia city council spent the most time discussing whether to approve the terms of the $75 million loan that would fund the first phase of the CPWS water pipeline to Williamsport. The supporters of the loan agreement argued that the sub-market 3.06 percent interest rate would save them a great deal on repayment, in the likely event that the project went through.

At the study session, CPWS CEO Jonathan Hardin and CFO Ashley Maddox told the council that they’d been working on the project’s finances for years with the state Comptroller’s Office and Department of Environment & Conservation. TDEC controls the State Revolving Fund that is to be used to fund $135 million of the project’s funds and works the interest rates for worthy projects down from the current market rate of close to five percent. The loan agreement would come before the state Local Development Agency in June.

“This [resolution is meant to] obtain a financing mechanism that is going to save tens of millions of dollars for the previously approved project,” said Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, who had previously voted against the project; his “yes” vote for the loan terms, he said, was intended to save the city money should it go forward.

“Voting no means a $50 million [increase in the total] interest payment on top of everything else,” said Councilman Brian McKelvy, citing a figure he had been given earlier by the experts.

When questioned by the mayor, Maddox said that CPWS’s consultant provided two financial models for the pipeline, one with the lower interest rate and one with the market rate. While they were prepared to work with both, the lower-rate would guarantee that consumer rates wouldn’t be raised by more than 20 percent year-over-year.

The city broached and approved other fiscal items, including some end-of-fiscal-year appropriations and fund transfers that increased the budget by about $3.45 million. The biggest line items went to buy equipment including a $925,000 fire truck, $400,000 worth of “ARC HVAC,” and a $219,000 burn box, and to contract engineering services for the Pumpkin Creek Project in the amount of $550,000.

Going into FY2027, the city council also reaffirmed the old property tax rate of 82.51 cents per $100, but only as a formality ahead of a drastic cut. City Manager Tony Massey announced that in accord with state law, which prohibits municipal governments from getting a property-tax windfall out of reassessments, the county property assessor’s office had calculated a rate decrease to keep city revenue steady. After the public hearing on June 11, the council will officially lower the city property tax down to 60.68 cents per $100 and consider the new rate on second reading.

Massey and assistant city manager, Thad Jablonski, also touted the 4 percent raise the city plans to give its employees, just ahead of the 3.9 percent inflation reported in the Consumer Price Index. Molder “applauded” the increase and its place in the city’s proactive program, with Jablonski supplying details, of increasing city employee compensation by five percent in 2024, four percent in 2025 and four percent again this year, a compound increase of 13.6 percent over the last three years.

On the fiscal side, the council also voted to pay Volunteer Paving $1 million dollars, to resurface another six miles of Columbia’s streets; to install a wider water-line sleeve in the new Iron Bridge across Lytle Creek, to increase the water capacity that can be delivered to the east side of Columbia in the future; and to replace a fire department pumper and rescue vehicle for $925,000, and to replace a Parks Department’s tractor and mini-skid steer with a Kubota skid steer that costs $110,000.

For planning, the city council voted to approve a new set of guidelines for the downtown properties zoned “Historic,” and to approve the construction of a Taco Bell in the next phase of the Honey Farms planned unit development. At the study session they also heard the tentative debut of “Heritage Farms,” a 563-acre residential development proposed for currently unincorporated land next to the Carters Creek Pike, which the developers plan to ask the city to annex.

Developer representatives explained that Heritage Farms would have 400 acres of homes on lots of one or two acres (consistent with the adjoining Pleasant View neighborhood), 23 acres of retail space, and 137 acres set aside for an Acts Retirement & Life Community. They promised that the build-out would employ many local tradesmen and workers, staffing when it gets up and working would employ more than 200 others, “local small businesses” would be given priority for the retail spaces, and prime lots could be sold to custom homebuilders for up to a million dollars apiece.

Some of Acts’s senior officials made the pitch for their senior-living community. Acts, said the company’s executive vice-president Jim Petty, is a 50-year-old nonprofit and the third-largest senior-living company in the country, which has made its bones by providing seniors with independent, spacious and satisfying lifestyles. Greg Hensley, senior vice-president of real-estate development, explained that Acts hopes to create a “country living” atmosphere off Carters Creek: through low-density senior housing (five units an acre compared to the 20 their competitors are wont to build), clubhouses and farming-activity facilities to bring people together, and up to 202 acres that the developers are willing to “civically donate” for public and outdoor recreation.

Maury County Co-op (WKOM Audio 2:35)

Yesterday, Mt. Pleasant’s United Co-op held a ribbon cutting for their new feed mill. Front Porch Radio’s Delk Kennedy attended the grand opening and spoke to the Randy Stubblefield, CEO of United Co-Op about what the new mill will do for the local farmers and the Ag economy.

CSCC Lab Techs and Nurses Graduate (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College recently honored eight medical laboratory technician graduates in a pinning ceremony in the Waymon L. Hickman Building.

“Congratulations to the newest MLT graduates,” said Lisa Harmon, Columbia State program director and assistant professor of medical laboratory technology. “Graduation is a testament to your hard work and perseverance. Best of luck in your careers as medical lab technicians.”

The Medical Laboratory Technology Associate of Applied Science degree academic plan involves two or more semesters of general education coursework followed by a 12-month, three-semester series of core courses designed to provide classroom and clinical-based competencies that provide students with the tools for licensure examination success, gainful in-field employment and career satisfaction.

“The college is happy to send out healthcare's newest detectives!” said Dr. Kae Fleming, Columbia State dean of the Health Sciences Division. “The shortage is critical, the job opportunities are abundant and each of these new MLTs will immediately impact patient outcomes.”

The medical laboratory technician possesses the technical skills necessary to perform routine testing in the areas of hematology, serology, coagulation, clinical microbiology, clinical chemistry, blood banking and urinalysis in clinical laboratories of hospitals, clinics and physician offices under the supervision of a physician and/or medical technologist.

Lab tests shape the majority of medical decisions made by physicians. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects the demand for medical laboratory professionals will increase at a rate nearly double the average increase for all populations.

For more information about Columbia State’s Medical Lab Technology program, visit our website at ColumbiaState.edu/MLT.

Also…Columbia State Community College recently celebrated 43 nursing graduates in a pinning ceremony in the Webster Athletic Center. 

“The pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition which allows faculty to welcome our graduates into the profession of nursing,” said Dr. Loretta Bond, Columbia State nursing program director. “The evening was a memorable event for all who attended.” 

Columbia State nursing graduates completed four semesters of classroom instruction and 540 hours of clinical instruction to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing. 

Next, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination in order to earn licensure, which is required to practice as a registered nurse. The most recent data available demonstrate a 94.8% first-attempt NCLEX pass rate for Columbia State nursing graduates in 2025, as compared to the national average first-attempt pass rate of 87.5% for associate degree nursing graduates the same year.

Nursing students are prepared to provide direct patient care in various areas, including medical, surgical, pediatrics and more. After graduation, these nurses will work in various settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, schools and home health care.

In 2023, Columbia State's in-field placement rate within 6-12 months of program completion was 99%. 

“Nursing school is about much more than mastery of facts and successful checkoffs,” said Dr. Kae Fleming, Columbia State dean of the Health Sciences Division. “These graduates are equipped with the ability to learn continuously, a priceless skill for RNs and patients and families!”

The Columbia State nursing program is committed to excellence in nursing education. It has received full approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. 

Columbia State’s nursing program has a competitive admission process with applicants admitted twice per year. 

For more information about applying to the program, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Nursing.

Local Business Receives Grant (Press Release)

Needle & Grain, a downtown Columbia general store, has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Amex Shop Small® Grants Program, a joint initiative of American Express and Main Street America. The $20,000 grant will fund a major expansion of the store’s zero-waste refillery station, tripling its size and broadening the range of bulk household products available to Maury County shoppers.

Opened on Columbia’s downtown square in 2016, Needle & Grain has built a reputation for purposefully crafted and curated goods. In 2020, owners Bryson and Susan Leach introduced a refilling station where customers can refill containers with soaps, cleaning supplies, and other household staples — skipping single-use packaging and reducing costs by buying in bulk. The grant will allow the Leaches to significantly expand that program, adding new product categories and serving more of the community.

“We started the refillery because we genuinely believed our customers wanted a smarter way to shop — one that was easier on their wallets and easier on the environment,” said Susan Leach, co-owner of Needle & Grain. “This grant lets us go from a proof of concept to something that can really serve this community at scale. We’re excited to bring in more product categories and make bulk buying accessible to more Columbia families.”

The Amex Shop Small Grants Program awarded more than $10 million to over 500 small businesses across the country in 2026, with each recipient receiving a $20,000 grant. Selection was based on demonstrated community impact, growth potential, and alignment with the program’s mission to strengthen local economies. The program was launched in honor of America’s 250th anniversary and expanded through American Express’s Small Business Saturday giving pledge.

Needle & Grain is located at 802 S Main Street in Columbia and is open to the public. The refillery expansion is slated to open June 5th. Customers can follow updates through the store’s social media channels.

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

Marlane Meissner Soldner, passed away on April 24 at the age of 71.

A family service will be held to honor her memory in Tennessee at Santa Fe Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on May 29, 2026.

And now, news from around the state…

Statehood Day (Press Release)

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett announced plans to celebrate America 250 and Tennessee’s 230th birthday with the Tennessee State Library & Archives hosting free events as part of the 2026 Statehood Day Celebrations.

“This year’s Tennessee Statehood Day celebration is both special and historic as we celebrate America’s 250 years as a country and Tennessee’s vital and numerous contributions in helping to shape the path of the United States of America,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “We hope Tennesseans will join us in celebrating our state’s rich history, which will be on display at the Library & Archives.”

Statehood Day Celebration activities will commence at the Tennessee State Library and Archives at 10:00 am Saturday, May 30. Activities and events are family-friendly, free to the public, and will include a showcase of items from the Library & Archives’ collections, story time, crafts, an instrument petting zoo, musical performances, living history interpreters, and behind-the-scenes tours with a stop at the robotic automated storage and retrieval system.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol Honor Guard will present, honor, and guard the three original constitutions at an opening ceremony at 11:00 am, and the ETSU Old-Time Ramblers will be performing the National Anthem.

“We hope families across Tennessee will join us for this historic celebration at the Library & Archives,” said Tennessee State Librarian and Archivist Jamie Ritter. “This is an opportunity to learn more about the Library & Archives and to experience and understand Tennessee’s history in an interactive and fun way.”

As part of the extended Statehood Day celebration, the Tennessee State Library & Archives will host a special Brown Bag Lunch lecture on Monday, June 1, featuring Tennessee State Historian Dr. Carroll Van West. Dr. West will present a program exploring Tennessee’s history and its significance in the broader American story as the state marks its 230th anniversary. The lecture is free and open to the public.

The Library and Archives’ Statehood Day Celebration events will take place at the Tennessee State Library & Archives building, 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way N., on the northeast corner of Bicentennial Mall State Park in Nashville.

For more information about the Library and Archives Statehood Day Celebration, visit www.sos.tn.gov/library-archives.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Homestead Festival, a two-day festival combining music and meaning, will take place June 5th & 6th on singer songwriter/author Rory Feek’s farm in Columbia. The festival features musical performances from Rory Feek, Lee Greenwood, and The Isaacs as well as masterclass lectures by prominent homesteading community leaders such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Joel Salatin, Jill Winger, and many others.

The address for the farm is 4765 Hardison Mill Road, Columbia. The festival hours are 9am – 8pm both days.

Tickets are available for purchase online. General admission tickets start at $95. Children’s tickets for ages 6 -17 are $25; children must be accompanied by an adult. Find tickets are available at www.etix.com.