Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 6-25-25

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for June 25, 2025

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

We start with local news…

Worldwide Stages to Expand (CDH)

Worldwide Stages, located at the Northfield Building just north of Columbia, is embarking on a new effort to expand and transform the site into six data centers and four production soundstages.

Plans for the new concept were introduced before the Spring Hill Planning Commission during its June 23 meeting as two items, one to annex 18 additional acres to the existing 38-acre lot and the other a rezone request to allow for institutional campus (IC) use.

Construction would include demolishing approximately 250,000 square feet of office space, while consolidating the total 56-acre property into six new data centers and four production soundstages, totaling nearly 400,000 square feet altogether.

One concern brought up regarding the request was its increase in utility use due to the nature of the facility, Spring Hill Senior Planner Gilles Morin said. More studies would be needed to determine what would be required in the project's future master plan.

"Additional infrastructure will be necessary for full buildout," Morin said. "The existing power to the existing structure should be sufficient for Phase 1. The intense cooling demands associated with a large data center will require a significant increase in power. Data centers for AI and other technologies are consuming more and more electricity."

Columbia Power & Water Systems also allocates water use to the existing structure but cannot be exceeded at any time. This includes any additional property that would be annexed.

In 2021, Worldwide Stages purchased the Northfield property from the City of Spring Hill for $9.2 million with a 10-year vision of renovating the 320,000-square-foot former Saturn headquarters into a "premier campus for the world's entertainment industry," according to the company's slogan.

Since opening in 2023, the facility has hosted a number of artists, events and even production of an Amazon television series.

Jeff Rosiak of Gamble Design Collaborative, representing Worldwide Stages, said while the company's vision remains, it has needed to rethink its original plan and adapt to recent changes in the industry.

"This goal was to include a series of phases of development over a 10-year period," Rosiak said. "These productions all align with their initial goal, which was to build new, larger soundstages to focus on kind of extending the lifecycle of the building, which is now 40 years old. Over the past four years, though, the industry and Worldwide Stages' vision have evolved."

Rosiak added that this new vision includes a "digital forward" approach with LED walls and backdrops powered by computer server banks, AI technologies, smaller physical spaces and general warehouse use.

The increase in power use could also be accommodated as it develops congruently with planned expansions at CPWS, Rosiak said.

"We know that CPWS has plans for a new substation in the next 3-5 years, which aligns really well with the timing and projections of Worldwide Stages, and so those power needs would be met as site plans come online as well," Rosiak said.

As discussion was brought back to planners, Spring Hill Mayor Matt Fitterer called the request an "appropriate annexation."

"It aligns with the goals of the comprehensive plan and the stated policy of the City of Spring Hill," Fitterer said.

No votes were taken on the proposed annexation or rezone request, but both items will reappear before the planning commission again in July.

County Passes Budget and Other Business (MSM)

The Maury County Commission voted last week to give first approval to the 2025-26 fiscal year budget, which was forwarded to them by the county Budget Committee the prior week.

The final budget totals $292,742,691. Schools are by far the greatest expense at $160,935,331 ($73 million of it for general instruction), and the general fund is next, contributing $55,387,002 toward the administration of the county and its departments and services. Most of the other funds will spend amounts in the single-digit millions, except for the $28.2 million debt-service fund, whose surplus was cut slightly to pay for teacher raises. The commission declined to raise the county’s property tax rate, which will remain at $1.91 cents per $100 of assessed value.

County Commissioner Scott Sumners warned the commission against adding to the budget during the fiscal year; additions would increase the planned deficit, which is already over $25 million, though Financial Management Director Doug Lukonen has said he expects his department to manage funds wisely enough to get it down to approximately $5.3 million.

“Going into budget season next year and this year, [we should] be careful about what [budget amendments] we do approve,” Sumners said, adding that the county is at “a tipping point” because of upcoming property reappraisals.

County Mayor Sheila Butt spoke to those in attendance before the commission voted on the budget, asking constituents for grace and understanding.

“Everybody up here would like to give the county everything that they need,” she said, but it’s just not possible with finite resources. “We have to pray for wisdom and try to make the best decisions for the people of Maury County.”

She also asked the public to recognize the good their leaders do.

“I’m proud of this county commission trying to do what’s right and not raise taxes… and the department heads… I’m pretty proud of Team Maury,” she said. “When you see a commissioner who is serving well and trying to do their job, I wish you would give them a compliment every now and again.”

Sumners thanked the mayor for defending the county’s tough decisions and Lukonen’s Financial Management Department for crafting the budget and managing funds.

“We had some long meetings and some really late nights, we put the work in,” he concluded.

Drivers Save Kids From Bus Fire (MSM)

For Pam Trovinger and Raymond O’Field, two bus drivers with Maury County Public Schools, June 12 started as just another day. Trovinger was driving first-grade and kindergarten students home from the summer-school STAR program, and O’Field was riding along to learn the route, so she could go on vacation the following week. All of that changed when their bus’s Check Engine light came on, then the Stop Engine light immediately after.

“When that light comes on, the bus stops,” O’Field said, according their safety protocol. But before the drivers could pull over to a safe spot, the bus ground to a halt outside the City Limits apartment complex north of Columbia. Then smoke began to emit from the engine compartment, which in their “flat-fronted” bus sits not under the hood in the front, but in a floor compartment (nicknamed “the doghouse”) next to the driver’s seat. Right away, they knew there was serious trouble.

Fortunately, the drivers had been well-trained by the school district to deal with such emergencies. The school district makes its bus drivers do evacuation drills twice a year, so Trovinger took charge of the children while O’Field dealt with the bus. Once outside, the bus, she called the city fire department.

“We knew right away we had to evacuate the children. We opened the doors, I started to evacuate, and [O’Field] went under the bus to see where the smoke was coming from,” said Pam Trovinger. “It was wonderful. He ran into the bus, grabbed the fire extinguisher, crawled under the bus, and just put the fire out… It worked out very well, it was good teamwork.”

O’Field found nothing out of place while looking under the bus, but by viewing the engine from the side, he found a small fire. Jonathan Barry, director of Safety and Transportation for the district, said that their investigators believe the fire was caused by the diesel particulate filter (DPF) system. The DPF has a computer chip that summons high heat to cleanse the bus’s exhaust pipes from soot, but the system in this bus appears to have malfunctioned and burned up its own sensor, driving the internal temperature high enough to cause the fire.

“They saved 11 children from being injured, and also themselves. And they also saved the taxpayers of Maury County $170,000 on a bus burning down to the ground,” Barry told Main Street Maury. “They were actually applauded by the fire department on their Facebook page… According to how we trained them, they did exactly what they were supposed to do.”

Columbia Fire and Rescue also praised two City Limits residents, identified only as “Yana” and “Elizabeth,” for helping to corral the young children until they could be taken home by another bus.

“[They] came out to help the bus driver keep all the children together and safe,” said Fire and Rescue in a Facebook post. “They assisted in keeping the children calm and providing comfort to the children. On behalf of Columbia Fire & Rescue, thank you [and the drivers] for your help! You all did an amazing job!”

“I want to thank the school board and the County Commission for keeping us in good equipment,” said Wes Moster, Director of Communications for the district. “We have one of the nicest fleets in the state, if not the best.”

The officials characterized the fire as a freak accident that couldn’t have been prevented — the Thomas-Built bus is approximately seven years old and had just been inspected by the Tennessee Highway Department. Insurance will pay for repairs, and Mid-South Transport, who sold the bus to the district, is looking into getting the repairs covered under the bus’s 100,000-mile power train warranty.

“It’s still within its 15-year service life and it’s still a good bus, so we’re not going to let it sit,” Barry said.

Other Safety and Transportation personnel drove another bus up to the complex to pick up and deliver the rest of the students to their homes. Their office staff also called the parents of the delayed students, who were reportedly very calm and understanding once they learned that their children were safe.

“I couldn’t ask for a better response from my team while I was gone. It’s just a happy ending to something that could’ve been bad on all fronts,” said Barry, who was out of town himself when the bus caught fire. “Our most important [priority] is the children’s safety… I couldn’t ask for two better employees and a better response. And we will definitely use this example in future training.”

“These two are heroes. They handled it textbook, start to finish,” summarized Moster. “It was not an ideal situation, but they turned it into something with a happy ending.”

“There was really no fear at the time. We just knew what to do,” said Trovinger. “And I’m just thankful that we have a good team that have really taught us well.”

O’Field stressed that the job of a bus driver is complex and demanding, involving much more than keeping up a Class A driver’s license. Drivers run into hair-raising situations daily, from cars running both fixed stop signs and the one on the side of the bus, to children stepping or reaching into the path of the bus after getting off.

“I think that the general public doesn’t understand that we’re not just a ‘bus driver,’ looking out the front windshield. Our responsibility goes far beyond that: [including] child control, traffic control,” he said. “We’re constantly vigilant of our surroundings, keeping our heads on a swivel… It’s stressful, but it’s very rewarding to get to know these children.”

“If anybody wants to become a bus driver, just get on our website and make contact with us,” Barry finished his remarks. “We’ll be glad to have you.”

Drug Dropbox (MauryCountySource)

The Spring Hill Police Department has partnered with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force to provide a prescription drug drop box at their headquarters building at 800 Hathaway Blvd.

This drop box is available from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Drop-off is free and no forms are required – just place the items in the box.

Acceptable items include:

• Prescription Medications (including prescription narcotics)

• All over-the-counter medications

• Pet medications

• Liquid medications in leak-proof containers

• Inhalers

• Pills in any packaging, including glass, plastic container, baggie (Ziploc) or foil

• Items NOT accepted include:

• Illegal drugs/narcotics

• Needles/sharps or syringes with needles

• Blood sugar equipment

• Thermometers

• IV bags

• Bloody or infectious waste

• Personal care products (shampoo, lotions, etc.)

CSCC Topping Out Ceremony (Press Release)

Columbia State Community recently hosted a “Topping Out” ceremony for the Southern Regional Technology Center at the Columbia Campus.

A “Topping Out” ceremony is traditionally hosted to honor the final or top structural beam being added to an important building during the construction process. 

Community members, local officials, Columbia State students, faculty, staff, as well as representatives from the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, all met at the event to sign the beam and see it be added to the SRTC building.

“The muggy weather can't dampen our enthusiasm today!” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation. “Many, many people and a lot of work has gone into lifting this beam. It represents opportunity and the future of our communities. It brings the SRTC one step closer to opening!”

This ceremony marks a major milestone in the construction of the SRTC building, a facility that will soon bring expanded educational offerings and help fuel careers that will serve to enrich the local economy.

“As we celebrate today and erect this last beam — it is not just a celebration of the building,” said Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president. “It's not just a celebration that we finally got here, which it did take a bunch of years to get here, but it is a celebration of what the SRTC will be, what it means for you and all the folks in our community, in our region and what it will mean for students. The opportunities, the careers that will be available, all in this state-of-the-art facility. Through programs offered in the SRTC, students will obtain skills and knowledge that allow them to walk out at completion and walk into an industry, a hospital or wherever, they have the skills they need to be successful in their chosen career.”

The approximately 88,000 square-foot building will serve as a regional hub for education and training, addressing the needs of both citizens and employers. It will be a cornerstone of economic and workforce development, offering the latest industry and healthcare training. Emphasizing partnerships through internships, apprenticeships, program development and job placement, educational offerings will include diplomas, technical certificates and Associate of Applied Science degrees.

The SRTC will house programs such as Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care, Medical Informatics, Engineering Systems Technology (including Mechatronics and Robotics), Veterinary Technology, Practical Nursing (LPN), Automotive Technology, HVAC and Welding.

The SRTC is slated to open for students in fall 2026.

To learn more about donation, partnership and endowment opportunities, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/SRTC.

Independence Day Celebration (MauryCountySource)

Columbia Noon Rotary, Columbia Breakfast Rotary, and Kiwanis of Columbia are partnering with First Fridays to host the annual Independence Day Celebration — and this year, it’s happening during First Fridays!

Friday, July 4 | 5–8 PM | Downtown Columbia

Patriotic Parade for Kids

Families are encouraged to bring bikes, wagons, scooters — all decked out in red, white, and blue — so children can lead a festive parade around the square!

Meet at the Lower Parking Garage on North Main at 5:00 PM

Parade begins at 5:30 PM through the First Fridays event space!

Honoring Ceremony

Immediately after the parade, enjoy a special ceremony to honor the men and women who have served and are serving our country — featuring patriotic music, a tribute, and the National Anthem.

Family Fun

Enjoy First Fridays favorites and more:

• Caricature Artist

• Balloon Artist

• 40+ Vendors

• Food Trucks

• Live Music & Buskers

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

William “Bill” G. Doelle, 66, died Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center following a brief illness.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, June 27, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery with honors provided by the Maury County Sherriff’s Department. The family will visit with friends Thursday from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Friday from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. 

Ricky Wayne Hood, 60, passed away Thursday, June 19, 2025 at his residence.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. The family will visit with friends on Friday, June 27, 2025 from 5:00 PM till 8:00 PM, and on Saturday, June 28, 2025 from 10:00 AM till the time of service at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

And now, news from around the state…

Covenant School Looking to Move (Tennessean)

More than two years after a fatal shooting claimed three students and three staff members, The Covenant School in Nashville has announced it will move from Green Hills to a new location in West Nashville.

The private Christian school, which averages about 200 students in preschool through sixth grade, is under contract to purchase seven lots on Highway 70 between Brook Hollow Road and Vossland Drive, about 3.5 miles from its current 12.28-acre campus at 33 Burton Hills Boulevard, according to a June 24 statement from the school.

“We are excited about the opportunity to create a fresh start for The Covenant School in a new home where God’s love will continue to echo,” Head of School Trudy Waters said in the statement, sent via email. “This is a very attractive location for our school and for current and future families."

The school remains under a short-term agreement with it's existing campus, where it just completed the first year of a three-year non-renewable lease.

The agreement allows the school to relocate after the 2026-2027 school year.

During the past year, officials conducted a study of the school's needs, where they considered new site options alongside the use of existing buildings and a property purchase, they said.

The private school decided on a new campus, purchasing 14 acres from Nashville couple Mike and Lisa Shmerling, the release said.

“Our family has lived within two miles of this property for nearly 70 years,” the Shmerlings said in the release. “We are honored to be able to support The Covenant School and its future in this way.”

The new project will require administrative approval from the Metro Planning Department in the coming weeks and cost around $85 million, the release said, noting that the school is raising funds through a capital campaign called "This is the Day."

The new site will sit in Nashville's 23rd District, represented by Councilmember Thom Druffel, who said he was proud of the relocation efforts.

“The school has a rich history of providing a great education and has done a great job of providing support to students, families, teachers and staff during what has been a difficult time for the community," he added in the release.

The Covenant School said on its website that the new school will lead the market in school safety by setting new standards and innovations with its design.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Celebrate Independence Day with a dazzling fireworks display at Maury County Park in Columbia! The community is invited to gather on Friday, July 4, at 1018 Maury County Park Drive for a festive evening under the stars.

The one-hour event kicks off around 9 p.m., with fireworks launching from the top of the hill. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, snacks, and friends to enjoy the show from one of the many scenic spots throughout the park. For the full experience, tune your radio to 87.9 FM to hear the synchronized soundtrack that accompanies the fireworks.

As a reminder, personal fireworks are not allowed in the park. Organizers emphasize safety and encourage attendees to sit back and enjoy the professional display. In case of weather delays, officials plan to proceed with the show as conditions allow.