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

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for May 5, 2026

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

Sandy Hook Railroad Bridge Opens (MSM)

After about 10 months of work, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has reopened the bridge over the Tennessee Southern Railroad on the Lawrenceburg Highway in Sandy Hook.

A TDOT representative stated that the previous bridge was built in 1925 and widened in 1956. The new bridge is approximately five feet wider and three feet higher than the old one, and cost $2.55 million. It was finished a month ahead of schedule and may come in approximately $100,000 under budget when final costs are assessed.

“TDOT thanks the community for their patience while crews worked on this project,” said Erin Zeigler of TDOT. “Maintaining a state of good repair for safe and efficient transportation remains a top TDOT priority.”

While the new bridge was closed, anyone traveling to or from Sandy Hook had to take a detour of 15-20 minutes over the hills to the south of the rural community, including emergency responders. The other northern route, over the old Sandy Hook Bridge on Old Highway 43, was closed as unsafe in 2022 by the county. Sandy Hook residents protested the simultaneous closure of both bridges, and blamed the full blockade for several delayed EMS responses in fall 2025.

Crosswaters Comes Before Planning Commission (MSM)

Crosswaters Reserve, LLC submitted its residential development of the same name for approval by the Maury County Planning Commission. Representatives of the engineering firm Barge Design Solutions first showed their plans to the Commission in March, but last Monday night was the first time the developer sought the planning commission’s approval for the zonings and the overall site plan.

Reed Martz, the attorney for the LLC, took the podium to denounce “misinformation” about the development site, which used to belong to the Monsanto Corporation and centers on an old 325-acre “tailings pond” which Crosswaters would use for a “reservoir.” TDEC restricted its permitted uses in 2007, but they lifted the restrictions in 2024 after Barge tested the soil and water for industrial contaminants and claimed to have found safe levels.

Martz and representatives of Barge claimed that the only material Monsanto dumped into Tailings Pond 15, which was across the Duck River from the actual chemical plant, was the muddy “tailings” left over from the first steps of phosphorus refinement. According to a ScienceInsights.org article on phosphate mining, phosphate is first separated from the mined soil with water and added reagents, leaving “tailings” which are diverted to settling ponds like the prospective “reservoir.” The developer representatives told the planning commissioners that the infamous “slag” produced by the later and harsher steps of phosphorus refinement, which does contain heavy metals and “radio-nuclides,” was not put into Pond 15.

“The only thing in Pond 15 is washed dirt,” Martz declared, acknowledging that the tailings used to present a quicksand danger, but he later told Main Street Maury that they should have a safe consistency after decades of “dewatering.” “Any chemicals added, [were added] way after the fact… No slag went to Pond 15,” agreed Chelsea Williams of Barge Design. “[The tailings accumulation is] not an environmental concern, it’s a structural concern.”

Sixteen public commenters got up to speak against Crosswaters, prompting Planning Commissioner Sam Kennedy to extend the customary 15-minute limit on public comments to an hour.

Dustin Kittle and Ashley Posey, two environmental attorneys who run a farm that adjoins the Crosswaters property, added new criticisms of the project to the ones they made at its planning commission debut in March, which earned them a cease-and-desist from Martz, alleging misrepresentation and defamation. Kittle pointed out that former Monsanto workers admitted they didn’t know where drums of toxic chemicals had been buried in unmarked pits on the 5,438-acre property, only 1,339 of which on one side of the Duck River would be incorporated into Crosswaters. He claimed to have handled a similar case in Escambia County, Florida, in which contaminants reached the drinking water supply through underground “karst” tunnels like those in Maury County.

“In the 1980s, what they made clear when they shut down this plant was, we do not need disturbance,” Kittle said. “When you start moving dirt… there is no telling what is going to end up in the Duck River.”

Posey challenged the thoroughness of Barge’s water and soil testing for PCBs, dioxins and asbestos, and claimed that neither TDEC’s administrative record nor Martz had provided her with these test results. Against Martz and Williams she cited the EPA’s finding that “tailings” also give off concentrated radiation, which is inherent in phosphate ore to begin with, and a 2007 study which recommended that “no construction occur on top of any of the studied tailings ponds.” Kittle, Posey and Carol Pennington also said that they and up to 30 other adjoining property owners hadn’t received the mailed notice of the project required by law, and Posey couldn’t find TDEC records of certified mail being sent out.

“This commission cannot rezone the property or approve a Planned Unit Development unless and until the statutory notice requirements related to the… land-use restrictions have been complied with,” she said.

Other public commenters recalled the harm done in the 20th century by the chemical plants that once dominated Maury County’s economy. Some were told as children specifically to avoid playing in the bodies of water on or leading away from the chemical companies’ properties. Others recalled watching the generation who had worked at those plants suffer and die early from diseases with likely chemical causes. Amy White of Mount Pleasant said her husband’s old employer tested for heavy metals in parts of the Monsanto property years ago, and found cadmium, lead and other substances; she didn’t see tests or results for these in Barge’s reports.

“It is impossible to filter all that phosphorus out of there… and the fact is that the slag is radioactive,” said Kathy Overstreet, who grew up next to Staufford Chemical plant in Mount Pleasant. “It had radium… barium and uranium in it, and those last for a thousand to a billion years.”

“These chemicals [are] going to outlive us,” said Stephanie Sparks Newland, a local environmental activist, speaking of the flammable elemental phosphorus, radioactive slag, and barrels of chemical warfare agents and pesticides produced, and possibly still present, on the Monsanto property. “Maybe it isn’t all in pond 15, but when… you start [developing], it’s all going to mix together.”

Colin Haines, a student at Columbia Central High School, recently performed an award-winning science project on the outskirts of the old Monsanto property. He found elevated pH levels in the soil there, which if introduced to the Duck River might cause toxic algal blooms.

“If this is what I, a teenage researcher, found on the [edges] of the Monsanto property, what have [independent researchers] not found since we have not gone in there?” Haines asked the planning commission.

“What else was put into that pond, I don’t know,” said Pennington, an adjoining property owner, who recommended that Barge take more groundwater samples. “You need to know what you’re going to stir up.”

In response to questions from planning commissioners Tracy Seiber and Quinton Jones, Chelsea Williams explained that Barge tested for contaminants on the most traveled areas of the Monsanto property, where chemicals were most likely to have been buried or spilled. They didn’t find or expect proof of such contamination in the Crosswaters site, since the actual chemical plant was across the river.

“This is Williamson County stuff,” County Commission candidate Jordan Rouden said of the site plan for a dense residential development in the woods. He pointed out that the neighborhood also comes with restrictive covenants which ban characteristically “Maury County” activities, from holding garage sales to displaying guns in public. “The people [planning this] clearly have no idea who lives here.”

County Commissioner Gabe Howard pointed out that the requested zonings wouldn’t fit either the current or new Comprehensive Land-Use Plans for the area. Planning Commissioner Harold Delk agreed, and he and his colleagues voted to recommend that the County Commission deny the rezoning requests and require the developer to meet several conditions before considering the master site plan.

Request Could Shrink Residential Buffer in Spring Hill (MSM)

Spring Hill leaders are weighing a request that could reduce a protective buffer between an industrial development and nearby homes to allow for a potential on-site wastewater system. 

The proposal, discussed at last week’s Spring Hill Planning Commission meeting, involves the Spring Hill Industrial Park (SHIP) West project, roughly 33.85 acres located south of Beechcroft Road and west of Cleburne Road. The site is currently zoned Light Industrial (L-1). 

The applicant is asking the city to modify a condition from a 2015 rezoning ordinance that required a 150-foot undisturbed landscape buffer along the western edge of the property. The buffer was intended to provide separation between the industrial site and nearby residential homes. 

Under the proposed change, the undistributed buffer would be reduced from 150 feet to 50 feet. The remaining 100-foot area would still function as a buffer but could be disturbed for landscaping and the installation of subsurface piping connected to a potential on-site wastewater treatment system.  

Spring Hill city staff raised several concerns after reviewing the request, including the potential loss of protection for nearby homes and impacts commonly associated with industrial uses such as creating traffic, noise and lighting. Staff also questioned possible risks tied to the wastewater system, including environmental and public health concerns, as well as traffic considerations near Spring Hill Middle School and surrounding residential areas. 

Planning staff concluded the proposal does not fully align with the city’s comprehensive plan and said additional justification and discussion would be needed before the request could move forward.

Deadly Force Now Legal in Defending Property (MSM)

The General Assembly recently passed legislation by State Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown, to strengthen the ability of Tennesseans to lawfully defend their property.  

House Bill 1802 will allow the use of lethal force if immediately necessary to protect property where a person lawfully resides in certain circumstances, including to prevent arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery or aggravated cruelty to animals. There must be a reasonable belief that there is no safe alternative and that there is an imminent danger of death, serious bodily injury or grave sexual abuse, or that any other use of force would expose someone to these risks.  

“No one should be forced to wait and watch while a criminal destroys a lifetime of hard work,” Capley said. “This legislation puts real authority back in citizens’ hands by delivering clear protections and preserving the fundamental freedoms that make our nation great. The Volunteer State will always stand with law-abiding Tennesseans over those that seek to exploit, prey on and dismantle what others have built.”  

While Tennessee is a Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine state, allowing residents to use deadly force in self-defense  and against home intruders, residents are limited to threatening or using non-deadly force against another to protect private property. 

Capley’s proposal strengthens Tennesseans’ right to protect their property by establishing clear, reasonable standards. House Bill 1802 now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law. It will take effect July 1. The 114th General Assembly adjourned April 23.  

State Rep. Kip Capley represents District 71 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes Wayne and part of Hardin, Lawrence and Maury counties.

Maury Regional Gets Chest Pain Accreditation (Press Release)

 Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) has received The American College of Cardiology Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI for its demonstrated expertise in and commitment to treating patients with chest pain. This accreditation is based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. MRMC has been an accredited chest pain center since 2008.

 Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty, is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack.

“This prestigious recognition reflects Maury Regional’s commitment to excellence, quality initiatives and best cardiology practices,” said Maury Regional Health CEO Martin Chaney, MD. “By adhering to these rigorous clinical standards and maintaining 24/7 access to heart-saving PCI, our team ensures that patients experiencing heart attack symptoms receive the most advanced care available. This accreditation reinforces our dedication to providing the community with life-saving expertise and truly seamless, patient-centered cardiac services.”

 To earn accreditation as a Chest Pain Center Primary PCI Accreditation, hospitals must complete a comprehensive, multi-step clinical process that involves a gap analysis, evaluation of care variances, development and implementation of an action plan, a rigorous onsite review and ongoing monitoring to ensure sustained performance. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized care teams that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.

 Accredited facilities have also proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI available 24/7, while adhering to established Chest Pain Center protocols and best practices, maintaining a robust hypothermia program for post-cardiac arrest care and enforcing a “No Diversion Policy” for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

“Maury Regional Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to providing their community with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Maury Regional Medical Center with Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation.”

Maury Regional Medical Center’s nationally recognized cardiac program offers a wide array of preventative and interventional cardiac services. The center’s state-of-the-art catheterization laboratories features advanced technologies utilized by cardiologists and clinical care teams performing diagnostic testing and interventional, pacemaker and peripheral vascular procedures. As a certified comprehensive cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program, Maury Regional also supports the recovery of patients who have experienced a heart attack, cardiac surgery or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

 Cardiac care at Maury Regional is led by 15 board-certified cardiologists on the medical staff who are associated with Vanderbilt Heart–Columbia and Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Columbia.

 To learn more about the heart services offered at MRMC, visit MauryRegional.com/Heart.

CSCC to Host Columbia Arts Council Exhibition (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College is pleased to announce that, in collaboration with the Columbia Arts Council, an art exhibition is currently open to the public featuring works by over 50 local artists. The exhibit marks the first local artist show the Columbia Arts Council has organized.

Pieces on display feature multiple art styles and mediums, all from living artists who reside and work in the greater Columbia area. Pieces featured also originate from artists with a full range of skills, from novice to veteran.

“As the new curator for the Pryor Art Gallery, it was such a delight for this to be the first exhibition that I installed,” said Tori Zemer, Columbia State Pryor Art Gallery curator. “I think anyone who comes to see it will walk away feeling impressed by the amount of local talent represented here. There is a wide variety of mediums and styles represented – truly something for everyone.”

Warren Feld, Columbia Arts Council chair, helped to put together the show concept and helped Zemer install some of the pieces on display.

“This art exhibit, by the Columbia Arts Council and with over 50 local artists, proudly showcases the creativity and talent that make Columbia’s arts community thrive,” Feld said. “We believe that Columbia will continue to evolve into a place where artists of all stripes can build full-time careers locally, supported by strong patron networks, education and tourism.”

The exhibit is open now through June 12.

The Pryor Art Gallery is in the Waymon L. Hickman Building on the Columbia Campus, located at 1665 Hampshire Pike and is open Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information about the Pryor Art Gallery and upcoming exhibitions, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/PryorGallery 

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

Deborah Gail Ferguson Littlejohn, age 68, a resident of Columbia, passed away on May 1, 2026, at her residence.

A graveside service will be conducted on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 2:30 PM at Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends on Tuesday from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com

James Edward “Jimmy” Duncan, 82, passed away on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at his residence.

Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. until the service time at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens, with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19.

And now, news from around the state…

Renaissance Festival in 40th Year (WilliamsonScene)

For Mike Freeman, the owner of Castle Gwynn in Arrington, it’s all about the castle. The edifice is a childhood dream come true and a constant creative project, and he needed to find a way to sustain it.

“I had a castle — I thought, 'I need to do something,'” he tells Williamson Scene. “I went to a Renaissance festival, had a great time. I thought I could open it once a year to the public so I can live here the rest of time. That's my whole point — the whole reason for starting the festival.” 

Forty years later, it’s clear Freeman was onto something. Over the next five weekends, nearly 100,000 festivalgoers are set to descend upon Castle Park in Arrington for the 40th Annual Tennessee Renaissance Festival, which Williamson County Parks and Recreation began operating in 2022.

Thousands of them will also be shuttled to Castle Gwynn to take in Freeman’s masterpiece, including a recently finished exterior complete with English crest and a screening of a recently added tour video. (Many travel to see the site of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video). 

In addition to the 80 or so returning vendors and performers, 20 fresh artisans will be added for the anniversary this year, including a costume rental booth, a ring featuring local armored combat competitors and performances from musical duo Damh and Dove, shares Devon Russell, Castle Park events manager. 

Longtime jousting group The Free Lancers retired last year, but Ohio’s Combatant’s Keep will be stepping in their place. 

“They're fantastic,” Russell says. “They're very high-energy. They have some war horses. I'm very excited to see this joust this year. I mean, they're really jousting. I've seen lances go through armor and shields. As the festival manager, it makes me nervous, but as a patron, it is very exciting.” 

Russell says performers especially like Tennessee’s festival, calling it the “biggest little faire.” Some of the larger fairs welcome 30,000 per day, so the Tennessee festival's slightly smaller scale is something performers can more easily wrap their arms around. Repeat customers also add to the small-world feel. 

“Even though we see 10,000 people a day, there's a sense of community,” she says. “You start to recognize people because they're coming almost every weekend. We have a huge group of these people that come every single weekend.”

Guests will have five weekends this year to see Castle Gwynn, but Freeman is planning to soon offer more than just its peak Renaissance Festival visits. In the next year-and-a-half, he plans to complete a venue and museum in the space. Freeman and his wife Jackie Harmon were the first to get married at Castle Gwynn in 1988, and a lucky few insiders have been granted access to the space over the years, but Freeman anticipates the business could boom. A friend in the castle-owner community in Scotland hosts more than 300 weddings per year, sometimes up to three per day. 

It’s clear that Freeman is thinking more and more about his legacy. Just last year, he finished his own tomb cover, cast from a suit of armor that he had taken 30 years to make. His idea of a vacation is to take one week off per year and work on a suit of armor, he jokes. 

When completed, the museum will surely have the original drawing of a castle from when Freeman was a senior in high school. He also has a fossil of an Irish elk, which went extinct 10,000 years ago, among other treasures and oddities. 

“This way, the things I’ve collected I’ll be able to share with people,” he says. “You can pick up a real Medieval sword. I mean, where do you go to do that?” 

Freeman is also continuing work on an additional bedroom, bathroom and his own “man cave.” The work in progress is the fun part for Freeman, who has never used a computer or Wi-Fi. On the site of Castle Gwynn, his creativity flows without much interruption, and he invites visitors to do the same. 

“Having the museum here and the events center will hopefully be able to perpetuate, let the people know that anything is possible,” Freeman says. “You can start with zero and go from there.”

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Multi-platinum, three-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist Olivia Rodrigo announced The Unraveled Tour, a massive 65-date run across North America, Europe, and the UK. The tour supports her third studio album, ‘you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love’, out June 12, 2026 and features multi-night plays in cities and stops in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena for two nights on November 23rd and 24th.

Tickets® are available for purchase on OliviaRodrigo.com starting Tuesday, May 5, at 12 pm local time through Wednesday, May 6, at 10 pm local time, while supplies last.