Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 6-26-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for June 26, 2026

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

Hygrade to Expand in Mt. Pleasant (Press Release)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Deputy Gov. and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and Hygrade Components CEO Randall D. Gottlieb announced today the company will expand its operations through a strategic, long-term lease commitment in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee.

Hygrade Components will invest over $1.6 million and create more than 30 new jobs in Maury County at its North Main Street location, which will directly support growth into new markets.

In total, the company will add approximately 100,000 square feet to its existing plant in Mount Pleasant where it will employ 100 people following completion of the project.

Founded in 1939 in Long Island, New York, Hygrade Components expanded to Mount Pleasant in 1994 where the Company continues to manufacture an array of metal components primarily used in the fabrication of windows and doors. Since its founding, the Company has grown organically and through acquisitions, with each successful acquisition expanding its manufacturing capabilities. Hygrade Components prides itself on delivering the fenestration industry’s highest quality products, customer service and lead times. The company maintains its corporate headquarters in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it has additional manufacturing facilities in Arkansas and Oregon and additional warehousing facilities in Texas.

“Tennessee continues to attract companies like Hygrade Components due to our highly skilled workforce and business-friendly climate. This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening communities and supporting job creation statewide, and I am grateful for the opportunities this project will create for families across Maury County.” – Gov. Bill Lee

“When a company chooses to do business in our state, it speaks to the strength of our workforce and the business climate we’ve built to support growth and expansion. We thank Hygrade Components for more than 30 years of commitment to Tennessee and stand ready to support this company’s success for the next 30-plus years.” – Deputy Gov. and TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter

“On behalf of Hygrade Components’ management team, I am thrilled to announce our strategic lease agreement at 1319 North Main Street. This long-term commitment not only expands our operational footprint but also empowers us to innovate faster, scale our services and better serve our growing client base over the next decade. This milestone guarantees our presence in the community for years to come, allowing us to build deeper relationships, create lasting local jobs and deliver sustained excellence.” – Randall D. Gottlieb, CEO, Hygrade Components

“Hygrade Components has built a strong reputation as a quality manufacturer and valued employer in Maury County, and I am proud to see the company continue to grow in Mount Pleasant. This $1.6 million investment and the creation of more than 30 new jobs demonstrate Hygrade Components’ long-term commitment to our community and the skilled workforce that helps drive Tennessee’s manufacturing success.” – Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald)

Judge Sands’ Retirement (MSM)

A packed Courtroom 103 in the Maury County Judicial Center witnessed two judicial milestones on June 18 with the retirement ceremony honoring Judge Bobby Sands for 21 years of service in General Sessions Court, and the investiture of Assistant District Attorney Scott Speer as his replacement on the bench.

Sands’s legal, political and volunteer achievements filled three pages of House Joint Resolution 1408, a proclamation passed in his honor by the State General Assembly. Born in Pulaski, he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University, where he served as Student Body President, and then from the University of Tennessee law school. He served in the 101st Airborne Division, and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant.

He married his wife Beth and had three sons — all of them Eagle Scouts, thanks to his guidance — and is now the proud grandfather of five.

Judge Bobby Holloway spoke about his long legal history with Sands and the close friendship they built.

Holloway and Sands took on two high-stakes cases where the prosecution sought the death penalty for their clients. Their shared defendant in one case was one of the infamous Bondurant twins, whose charges they got reduced to second-degree murder.

In 1981, Sands changed sides and became an Assistant District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District.

Sands moved up to become city judge for Spring Hill in 1986 and served in that role until 2000. In 1996, he was elected to represent District 64 in the Tennessee House. As a Representative, he was recognized twice as Legislator of the Year by the State County Officials Association and Development Districts Association.

“Representative Sands was an outstanding member of the General Assembly,” said Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, who brought with him the congratulations of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. “He was probably one of the best orators on the floor of the House that has ever been. It was always a pleasure to hear his speeches.”

“I come to you as your state representative, honoring a lifetime of service,” said Rep. Scott Cepicky, Sands’ successor to the District 64 seat. “House Joint Resolution 1408 will be recorded in the archives forever, so your great-great-great-grandchildren will… be able to read it and see what their great-great-great-grandfather did for the people of the state of Tennessee.”

In 2005, Sands was appointed to the Maury County General Sessions bench, to fill out the unexpired term of his mentor, Judge Jimmy Matthews. He ran unopposed for reelection in 2014 and 2022.

“Being a General Sessions judge in Maury County Tennessee is a hard, hard job… They hear everything. They are the first line of judiciary that everyone sees,” said Sands’s friend Richard Matthews, the son of late Judge Jimmy Matthews. “Over the twenty years that Bobby has served as judge, I would gather to say that he has made decisions in hundreds of thousands of cases. And I know that he has given every individual that has come before him thoughtful consideration, that is guided by the law and an unmatched sense of moral justice.”

“When the Founding Fathers of our state thought about courts that were dealing on a day-to-day basis with people — small-claims-type courts, general sessions courts — I believe the type of judge they had in mind was Bobby Sands,” said Holloway. “Bobby could talk to anybody, from the wealthiest, most successful people to come before him, to the downtrodden who are charged with a crime or having other problems… He was patient, he listened, he had common sense.”

Jake Hubbell, now the City Attorney of Columbia, presented Sands with a portrait of himself on behalf of the lawyers whose careers he had encouraged and fostered.

“Judge Sands has always taken an interest in young lawyers, and he took a great interest in me even before I went to law school,” Hubbell recalled. “Every time I ran into Judge Sands, he was always prodding me about when I was going to go to law school… If it had not for some of his prodding, I may never have done that.”

Throughout his busy career, Sands found untold hours to spend on volunteer commitments. In addition to serving as president of the county Bar Association, he belonged to the American Legion Post, the county Cattlemen’s Association, the advisory board of the First Farmers and Merchants Bank, the First United Methodist Church, the county Historical Society, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Boy Scouts, and the Tennessee Walking Horse Society, which recently recognized him for 50 years of service. The Kiwanis Club gave him the George F. Hixson Fellowship, the “Golden K” award as its 1998 Man of the Year, and a Liberty Bell Award in 2025.

“My heart is full of gratitude to all of you,” Judge Sands said near the end of his retirement ceremony, “for taking your time to show your friendship for me and your respect for the profession of law here in Maury County.”

After he was congratulated, Sands invested Scott Speer as the new Maury County General Sessions judge. He administered the judge’s oath that Speer swore while his wife Jenna held their family Bible: to uphold the federal and state constitutions, to administer justice without respect of persons, and to impartially discharge all the duties of a General Sessions judge to the best of his ability, so help him God. Speer then put on the black robe of a judge.

“Standing here under these circumstances is both humbling and deeply meaningful to me. Having been born and raised in Maury County, serving the people of this community is so much more than a professional opportunity, it’s a personal privilege. To now serve as a judge here is an honor I could never have imagined when I began my legal career,” Speer said with emotion after his investiture. “Today’s not mine alone, it belongs to all of us… I look forward to earning the public’s trust each day through my work on the bench.”

Speer thanked his family for supporting him, especially his wife Jenna and adult children Scout and Colton, and his friends and colleagues from the district attorney’s office, including his boss District Attorney Brent Cooper. Finally, he thanked Judge Sands, opposite whom he had stood for hours as a prosecutor.

“It was an honor to have you administer the oath,” the new Judge Speer told his predecessor. “I want to express my sincere appreciation for your years of service to this court and the people of Maury County. Your commitment to justice, fairness and the rule of law has left a lasting mark not only on me and the legal system, but everyone that follows in your footsteps. The standard you’ve set is one that I deeply respect and will strive to uphold each day.”

Maury Young Republican Mailer Controversy (CDH)

After a recruitment mailer for the Maury County Young Republicans called on conservatives to “stop the Great Replacement” of White Americans by non-White "invaders," and to "Ban Islam and Hinduism," the statewide Tennessee Young Republicans Federation says the local group did not have permission to use its logo on the message.

“It’s time for the Republican Party to face the reality of race,” wrote Maury County Young Republicans President Austin Lee in a social media post sharing images of a mailer apparently sent to thousands of county residents.

“Nonwhite foreigners have invaded our country and are replacing White Americans. Efforts at mass deportations have failed. No one is coming to save us; we must solve this problem ourselves,” Lee wrote on the mailer, alongside the Tennessee Young Republicans logo. “If you love America like I do, please join me in this struggle.”

Tennessee Republican Party Chair Scott Golden said the language of the mailer is "absolutely abhorrent and does not reflect the values of Republicans."

"The Tennessee Young Republican Federation is a separate organization and has their own bylaws and elections for leadership," Golden said, adding that the state party does not have any jurisdiction over the actions of the Maury County Young Republicans chapter. "TYRF is conducting a review of the situation and I expect that they will make the right decision regarding leadership to ensure we elect good Republican candidates this August and November."

Tennessee Young Republicans Federation said the use of its name and logo was “not authorized.” Statewide leadership is now “reviewing” how the name and logo were used on the mailer.

“The communications using TYRF’s name and logo were not reviewed, approved or authorized by TYRF, its officers, or its Executive Committee,” the group said in a statement released June 23. “Accordingly, the views expressed therein DO NOT constitute the views or an official position of the TYRF."

The mailers do not contain any indication of who paid for their creation, printing or postage, nor do they contain any legally required disclosure for political mailers.

Maury County Republicans also condemned the mailer.

"We do not condone the hate conveyed in the mailer that was sent out to young men in our community," said county GOP President Jason Gilliam. "The MCGOP will support any effort assuring that these people are held accountable for such disgusting behavior."

In previous social media posts, Lee has said Islam should be banned in the United States. Lee has described Indian Americans as “perhaps the only race with no redeeming qualities,” called conservatives “delusional” if they believe “American blacks can be made not to hate whites,” and decried interracial marriage, saying White Americans who convert to Judaism “have to be excised from the political right.”

“Your descendents will pay the price for the security afforded by your inaction,” Lee wrote on the mailer. 

Claims have circulated on social media that there is no active Young Republicans chapter in Maury County. The group has an Instagram presence that includes posts from 2023.

During a Maury County GOP meeting on June 22, Lee confronted state Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, according to videos circulated of the event by the progressive media outlet the Tennessee Holler. During the meeting, Cepicky disclosed that he is the descendent of an Ashkenazi Jewish family that fled Eastern Europe during the rise of the Nazi Party. Cepicky is co-founder of the legislative Tennessee-Israel Caucus.

“We the people. It doesn’t say ‘we the White people’ or ‘we the Christians’ or ‘we the Jews.’ It says ‘we the people,’” Cepicky said during the meeting. “85 million people died to get rid of this stuff, and now it’s rearing its ugly head in our country, in our state, in our county and in our community. You’ve got to stand up and beat it back. Are you going to defend ‘we the people’ or not?” 

Cepicky said he has turned mailers over to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General’s Office for investigation.

“We are going to pursue the law on these individuals to the nth degree,” Cepicky said during the meeting.

Tennessee Young Democrats challenged the statewide Young Republicans group to fully condemn Lee’s statements. 

“Democrats and Republicans should debate policy, not fundamental rights and dignity of others,” Young Democrats said in a statement. 

The group asked Young Republicans to see that the offending posts be removed and take “appropriate action.” 

“We are not afraid to say that racism, sexism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamaphobia and violent threats have no place in our communities or our political discourse,” Young Democrats leadership said. 

The statewide federation declined to comment on other events Tennessee Young Republican chapters have held this year where policies of remigration and Christian nationalism were espoused.

"Because that review remains ongoing, and due to the seriousness of the matter, the TYRF will not comment further regarding specific individuals, facts, allegations or potential actions until the investigation has been completed," TNYR Communications Director Meredith Ophelia Miller told The Tennessean.

MRMG Recognized for Diabetes Care (Press Release)

Maury Regional Medical Center has been recognized among a select group of hospitals nationwide for its commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care to people living with diabetes. The Leapfrog Group and the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) recently named Maury Regional Medical Center a “Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes,” making it one of just 37 hospitals across 14 states to receive the designation in 2026.

“Diabetes is a disease well known to shorten people’s lives if not well managed. This recognition reflects the exceptional commitment of our physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, diabetes educators and care teams who work collaboratively every day to support patients living with diabetes,” said Martin Chaney, MD, chief executive officer for Maury Regional Health. “Their dedication to providing safe, high-quality care helps our patients manage their health, reduce complications and achieve the best possible outcomes.”

Caring for people with diabetes often extends far beyond the condition itself and requires a coordinated, evidence-based approach throughout the hospital stay and beyond discharge. We are honored to be recognized among a select group of hospitals nationwide and remain committed to providing safe, high-quality care that helps our patients manage their health, reduce complications and achieve the best possible outcomes.”

The Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes program is in its third year, evaluating hospitals based on their care for patients with diabetes during admission, hospital stay, and discharge. The program recognizes hospitals aligned with the ADA’s Standards of Care in Diabetes and Leapfrog’s standards for excellence in hospital safety and quality.

“People living with diabetes face added risks when hospitalized, and institutions like Maury Regional Medical Center are going the extra mile for the safety of adults living with diabetes,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate Maury Regional Medical Center for being one of 37 hospitals across the U.S. to earn this distinction.”

“We congratulate these hospitals for demonstrating a commitment to safety and care that reflects the needs of those living with diabetes. Moving evidence-based standards of care into practice is the cornerstone of improving health outcomes and the lives of those living with diabetes,” said Osagie Ebekozien, MD, MPH, the ADA’s chief quality officer.

Hospitals are assessed both on the implementation of these processes and on how well they execute care delivered to patients. The designation highlights hospitals that demonstrate excellence in key areas of diabetes management and patient safety, including:

• Blood glucose (blood sugar) testing and hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) protocols

• Specialized preparation for inpatient surgery

• Meal and insulin regimen planning

• Robust discharge planning for high-risk patients with diabetes

• Patient safety standards

The recognition underscores Maury Regional Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care and equipping individuals with the tools and support needed to successfully manage diabetes during and after hospitalization.

Maury Regional Health offers an array of services for those diagnosed with diabetes, including instruction for hospitalized patients as well as outpatient education and counseling. Other services include nutrition therapy, wound care, diabetes self-management classes and a monthly diabetes support group. In addition, the outpatient care team at Maury Regional Medical Group Endocrinology diagnoses and treats conditions related to the body’s endocrine system, including diabetes.

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

Willie Leon “W.L.” Boshers, 82, a resident of Columbia, TN, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Life Care Center of Columbia.

Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Tuesday from 12:00 PM until the time of the service at the funeral home.

Mrs. Monnette Fulcher Bruner, 62, passed away Thursday, June 4 at Camden General Hospital. Memorial services will be conducted on Sunday, June 28 at 4:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. The family will visit with friends on Sunday from 2:00 PM till the time of service at the funeral home.

Mrs. Helen Marie Jones Coble, 60, a resident of Santa Fe, TN, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, June 9. A Celebration of Life will be conducted on Sunday, June 28 at 2:00 PM at Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The family will visit with friends on Sunday from 12:00 PM until the time of the service at the Church.

And now, news from around the state…

Opry May Sell (WSMV)

The Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium could be under new ownership soon as a major stakeholder behind both iconic Nashville venues considers selling its stake — a move that could ripple through country music.

“What is that gonna mean?” one visitor asked, capturing the uncertainty many fans say they feel about what comes next.

The venues are owned by Opry Entertainment Group. A major stakeholder, Ryman Hospitality Properties, says it is fielding offers as outside interest in country music — and the destinations tied to it — continues to grow.

In a statement, the company said, in part, “With the rise in growing global popularity of country music has led several outside entities to inquire about investing in the genre’s many venues.”

Ryman Hospitality Properties says it believes the move is best for long-term growth. But some country music fans aren’t convinced.

“Keep it here. Keep it locally owned, keep it like a mom and pop situation in a sense. Keep it here. Keep it where it remains. Keep doing what you should be doing and what you need to do. Bring the money in some other way,” said Katrina Fritz, a tourist visiting Nashville.

It’s unclear how a sale could impact day-to-day operations at the venues — a question on the minds of many as the future hangs in the balance.

“How many people are on Broadway, in Nashville, trying to get to here?” another fan asked.

Ryman Hospitality Properties told WSM4 no partnership agreements are in place and there is no guarantee a transaction will happen.

Gas Prices (MSM)

Gas prices are continuing to decline across the state, falling 10 cents, on average, over last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.50 which is 70 cents less expensive than one month ago but 66 cents more expensive than one year ago.  

“Tennessee pump prices are continuing to fall after another drop in crude oil prices,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “These cheaper prices are providing much needed relief for drivers, especially those planning a road trip over the Independence Day holiday.”

Tennessee is currently the fifth least expensive market for gas in the country.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Andrew Jackson Foundation, which owns and operates Andrew Jackson’s historic home The Hermitage, is announcing the relaunch of the In Their Footsteps: Slavery at The Hermitage Tour. The 60-minute guided walking tour, which is roughly one mile long, explores the personal lives, labor, resistance, and triumphs of the enslaved community whose work shaped every aspect of The Hermitage.

Tickets for the In Their Footsteps: Slavery at The Hermitage tour are $49.95 per person, which also includes access to the mansion and the grounds. It will be available on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. Each tour will begin in Alfred’s Cabin, and therefore guests are encouraged to arrive to The Hermitage at least 30 minutes prior to the tour’s start time to allow time to find the cabin and get situated.

Tickets can be purchased at www.thehermitage.com.