Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 6-4-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for June 4, 2026

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

Columbia Man Connected to Extremism Arrested (MSM)

A Columbia man who court documents indicate has been connected to violent extremist groups was taken into custody last week facing multiple counts of child sexual exploitation.

On May 28 an indictment was unsealed charging Zachary Sweeney, 30, who according to court documents, has been connection to Nihlistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups. He was arrested that same morning in Columbia by the FBI’s Nashville Field Office.

“Violent extremists who victimize vulnerable children online are among the worst predators in our community and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Our office and our law enforcement partners will do whatever it takes to stop these predators from harming more children and hold them accountable for the damage they have already caused.”

“This operation puts every child predator on notice: the FBI will hunt you down and bring you to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Removing violent extremists from our streets protects our most innocent and vulnerable members of society. The FBI will continue to work with our partners across the state of Tennessee to aggressively investigate those who seek to exploit or harm them.”

According to court documents, Sweeney has an extensive history of engaging in criminal conduct related to the exploitation of minors, including conduct related to NVEs. NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction and social instability. 

According to court documents, investigations by the FBI into Sweeney’s conduct revealed multiple allegations of victimization of minors by Sweeney from at least 2022 until 2025. Sweeney is accused on numerous occasions of having groomed and coerced minors into producing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), distributed and in some cases sold this material, and traveled to meet with minor victims during which time he is alleged to have drugged, raped and filmed sexual acts with the minors. Additionally, Sweeney has been accused of committing these acts for, and engaged in others consistent with, the group 764 and its affiliates.

One prior victim alleged that she began interacting with Sweeney around the age of 16 or 17.

The victim reported that Sweeney was part of a group of people she described as friends of his in “the Com.” In these servers, the victim participated in virtual self-harm group video calls with members of the server in which she would do a variety of degrading things to herself for the members of the server.

The victim reported being aware of other underage females that Sweeney had victimized and of whom he possessed “collections” of nudes and blackmail material. The victim further reported that Sweeney occasionally shared his screen with her and showed her these “collections,” including files with folders that were identified by the username of the alleged underage female victim. This victim later died of an overdose.

NVEs, both individually and as a network, systematically and methodically target vulnerable populations, which often include minors, across the United States and the globe, frequently using social media communication platforms. NVEs frequently conduct coordinated extortions of individuals by blackmailing them so they comply with the demands of the network.

NVE networks have adopted various monikers to identify themselves. The networks have changed names over time, which has led to the creation of related networks. Although the networks change names and use a variety of different social media platforms, the core members and goals remain consistent and align with the overarching threat of NVE.

This case was investigated by the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katy Risinger and Zachary T. Hinkle for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

Saturn Parkway Closed for Repairs (MauryCountySource)

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will conduct ramp closures on State Route 396 in Maury County.

Beginning Thursday, June 4, through Sunday, June 7, TDOT crews will conduct a full closure of the State Route 396 (Saturn Parkway) eastbound and westbound off-ramps to Kedron Road due to concrete repair operations.

All work is weather-dependent. As always, drivers are reminded to allow additional time, slow down, and move over when traveling through a work zone. The Move Over Law was passed in 2006. The penalty for violating the law in Tennessee carries the possibility of up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of up to $500.

Tornado Siren Test (MauryCountySource)

As part of the City’s ongoing emergency preparedness efforts, tornado siren tests are now scheduled to occur on the first Saturday of each month at 1:00 PM.

Future tornado siren testing dates and times will be announced in advance on the City of Columbia’s official social media channels and at ColumbiaTN.gov.

The tornado sirens are activated during National Weather Service issued tornado warnings and in specific areas where a threat has been identified. Because the sirens are designed as an outdoor warning system, they may not be heard indoors.

Residents are encouraged to use multiple methods to receive emergency notifications.

To help keep the community informed, the City offers the free Hyper-Reach emergency alert system, which delivers severe weather and emergency notifications directly to mobile phones and landlines.

Ogles Draws Fire for Tweet (CDH)

After an inflammatory social media post about gay people drew widespread criticism, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles deleted his post and blamed it on a staffer.

Ogles’ controversial post came at the start of Pride Month, which is also when Tennessee is recognizing Nuclear Family Month.

“Homosexuality has no place in America,” Ogles said in a June 2 post on X. “Happy Nuclear Family Month.”

The pushback to Ogles’ post was fierce, and it was not the first time critics have accused the Columbia congressman of incendiary social media behavior. He’s also come under fire in recent months for his social media statements about Muslims, saying they “don’t belong” in America.

However, Ogles said in another social media post on June 2 that his tweet about homosexuality in the U.S. was mistaken.

“Earlier today while working on the farm, my phone began going crazy because of a post made by a member of my comms team,” Ogles said in a post shortly before 9 p.m. “The post was stupid, hurtful and a complete distraction from my America First focus. The employee has been reprimanded.”

Ogles deleted his tweet hours before his follow-up explanation that blamed his staffer.

One of his Democratic challengers in the 5th Congressional District, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, said the deletion didn't negate the hurtful sentiment in Ogles’ original tweet.

“Andy Ogles deleted his tweet but he can’t delete the harm and hurt of his words. I’m running to be the kind of Congressman who focuses on issues that impact our daily lives, that brings people together and takes a little decency to DC. Basically everything that Andy Ogles is not,” Molder said in a June 2 social media post.

Gov. Bill Lee signed a resolution this year that declared June as Nuclear Family Month, and many criticized it as a direct response to Pride Month, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. The resolution said, “The nuclear family, consisting of one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children, is God’s design for familial structure and has been the bedrock of society since the creation of the world.”

Pure Water Spring Hill Plans Move Forward (MSM)

Architectural rendering concepts for the Pure Water Spring Hill Pilot building has been presented to city leaders, showcasing a range of exterior and interior design options aimed at blending the facility into the character of the community. 

SPARTAN Assistant General Manager Will Brasfield presented the renderings to the board, seeking feedback and consensus on the overall look and feel of the future facility. Brasfield said the goal is to create a building that not only serves a public utility purpose, but also complements the surrounding area aesthetically. 

Exterior concepts included styles such as gable forward, warm rustic gathering hall, hill country porch house, modern farmhouse shed porch, industrial agrarian and courtyard porch-inspired designs. 

Interior concepts featured modern country, warm contemporary, refined neutral and clubhouse-inspired themes. Plans for the interior include a water tasting area along with open gathering spaces designed for discussion and community engagement. 

During the discussion, Spring Hill Mayor Matt Fitterer described some of the exterior concepts as “boujee” adding that the modern farmhouse shed porch design appeared to be the most practical and fitting for a public utility building due to its simplicity. 

Following the discussion, the board expressed support for the proposed direction, giving developers approval to move forward with the design process and refine the concepts as they see fit.

Columbia State Collects Veteran Stories (Press Release)

In continuing Columbia State Community College’s commitment to serving and recognizing service members, the college recently collaborated with the Library of Congress in a project aimed at capturing interviews of local veterans.

Columbia State’s Career, Veteran and Transfer (CVT) Center worked alongside the Humanities and Social Sciences Division’s History Department and the Written, Oral and Digital Communication Division’s Film Crew Technology Program to host interviews that are to be included in the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. 

“The U.S. Library of Congress Veterans History Project preserves veterans’ stories for generations,” said Freda Leslie Pillow, coordinator of the CVT Center. “As the daughter of a U.S. Army military police officer, I am especially honored to help amplify the voices of Giles County veterans through film.”

Established by the U.S. Congress in 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the Veterans History Project is a national initiative dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the firsthand accounts of America’s military veterans from World War I through modern conflicts. 

The video interviews were held at the HCCF Community Life Enrichment Center in Pulaski. Participating veterans included:

•    Paul E. Adderley, Army

•    Robert Lee Cross, Air Force

•    David Harris, Air Force

•    Paula Harris, Air Force

•    Dr. Brian Puckett, Navy

•    Valencia Puckett, Air Force

This marks the fourth time Columbia State has hosted this event to record veterans’ stories, and the first time in Giles County.

One interviewee shared her thoughts on being interviewed. 

“This was such a great and vital project because our military stories need to be heard and appreciated,” Harris said. “Heartfelt appreciation and thanks to the members of this project.”

Columbia State’s interview and film team was led by Gregory Mewbourn, associate professor of history; Dr. Thomas Flagel, professor of history; and Freda Leslie Pillow, CVT Center coordinator. Beyond documenting these local stories, the team also worked to connect participating veterans with available resources. 

This initiative marks a meaningful expansion of the project both within and beyond Columbia State’s service area to reflect the college’s ongoing commitment to honoring those who served and ensuring their legacies endure.

For more information on the Veterans History Project, and to watch previous veteran interviews, visit www.loc.gov/collections/veterans-history-project-collection. 

These documents and interviews will become part of the permanent collections of the Library of Congress and will be made available to researchers and the general public via the American Folklife Center Reading Room and the VHP website. For more information about the Veterans History Project, visit www.loc.gov/vets/. 

VHP also collects oral histories with Gold Star Family members, defined as a parent, spouse, sibling or child of members of the Armed Forces who died as a result of their service during a period of war.

Food Truck Thursdays (Press Release)

Columbia Main Street is inviting the community this summer to Food Truck Thursdays, a new weekly event series taking place every Thursday in June and July from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Riverwalk Park in Downtown Columbia.

Located right off the Downtown District, the Farmers Market Pavilion at Riverwalk Park will be transformed into a gathering space for Food Truck Thursdays. This event will feature a rotating lineup of local food trucks, offering residents and visitors a variety of food options each week.

In addition to great food, Columbia Main Street will provide a variety of free yard games for attendees to enjoy while spending time with family and friends. Games will include Connect 4, Tic-Tac-Toe, Ring Toss, and more.

The event is being spearheaded by Columbia Main Street Board Members Marvin Brooks and John “Tee” Davis. “Food Truck Thursdays were created to give the community a common space where people can gather and show support for the local food trucks that are such an important part of Columbia’s community,” said Brooks and Davis in a joint statement.

Food Truck Thursdays will take place on the following dates:

• June 4

• June 11

• June 18

• June 25

• July 2

• July 9

• July 16

• July 23

• July 30

Time: 4-8 PM |  Address: 102 Riverside Drive, Columbia, TN 38401

Food truck operators interested in participating in the series are encouraged to contact Columbia Main Street Manager Kelli Johnson at kjohnson@columbiatn.gov for more information. For updates on weekly food truck lineups and other downtown events, follow Columbia Main Street on social media.

Saviya Morgan Enters Transer Portal (Tennessean)

Tennessee softball has its first transfer portal departure of the offseason after its second straight run to the Women's College World Series semifinals.

Sophomore outfielder Saviya Morgan announced on June 3 that she plans to enter the transfer portal. The transfer portal window for immediate eligibility will begin June 8 and last 15 days.

"I have decided to enter the transfer portal and explore what's next in my softball journey," Morgan wrote in a post on X. "Excited for what's to come and thankful for my time in Tennessee that opened my eyes to what the future holds."

The Columbia, Tennessee, native started in 59 games as a freshman and had even earned her way into the leadoff spot over a senior for the first half of the season. Morgan hit .340 with 48 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 2025.

This season, Morgan only started in 10 of her 33 appearances, hitting .257 with five RBIs, two doubles and 10 runs scored in 35 at-bats. She had a .366 on-base percentage with four stolen bases.

Coach Karen Weekly praised Morgan in April for being "an incredible teammate" while handling a "tough role" this season.

Morgan was ranked No. 10 in the 2024 class out of Columbia Central, where she holds several school records. Morgan owns the records for most stolen bases in a single season (68) and career (175), the highest single-season batting average (.735), single-season runs (66) and career runs (148).

(Mayoral Forum (Press Release)

Join Maury Alliance on July 9th at 5:30pm to hear from the two Maury County Mayoral candidates: Sheila Butt and Gabe Howard. This moderated Q&A session with the candidates will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about each candidate and their vision for the future of Maury County. If you would like to submit a question for consideration, please send them to Alyssa at atate@mauryalliance.com. This event is open to the public and free to attend!

Doors open at 5pm, and the program will begin promptly at 5:30pm.

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

Hal David Hall, age 82, retired journalist who wrote for the Nashville Tennessean, Chicago Daily News, Denver Post and the Chicago Sun Times, passed away on December 31, 2025.

Graveside services will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM. The family will visit with friends on Friday, June 12, 2026 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Oakes and Nichols Funeral Home.

Phyllis Lovell Maley, age 79, passed away on January 28, 2026.

Graveside services will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM. The family will visit with friends on Friday, June 12, 2026 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Oakes and Nichols Funeral Home.

And now, news from around the state…

Bridgestone Arena Among Top Venues (MauryCountySource)

Bridgestone Arena ranks 10th in the United States and 18th in the world among all venues according to Billboard’s 2026 Midyear Boxscore Report. From Oct. 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, Bridgestone Arena welcomed over 367,000 guests and brought in $34.8 million through concerts, comedy shows and other entertainment events. 

“It’s exciting to see Bridgestone Arena continue to serve the nation and the world as a top venue while welcoming thousands each year,” Nashville Predators Chief Venues Officer David Kells said. “This is a true testament to our amazing staff who work hard to ensure that fans, performers and athletes have the best experience in Nashville. Thank you to the promoters, artists, managers and touring professionals who continue to make Bridgestone Arena a must play. We look forward to welcoming many more artists and fans to Nashville as we celebrate our 30th year in Music City.”

Bridgestone Arena ranks in the Top 10 venues along with The Sphere (Las Vegas), Madison Square Garden (New York), Kia Forum (Inglewood, Calif.), T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas), Capital One Arena (Washington), State Farm Arena (Atlanta), Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Xfinity Mobile Arena (Philadelphia) and American Airlines Center (Dallas) in total gross revenue.

Gas Prices (MSM)

Gas prices across the state steadily declined over last week, falling 21 cents, on average. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.93 which is three cents less expensive than one month ago and $1.23 more expensive than one year ago.  

“Crude oil prices have consistently declined over the last week amid reports of peace talks with Iran that would potentially reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The price of crude oil accounts for about half the price you see at the gas pump, so any time we see dramatic drops in crude oil pricing we typically see this reflected in our pump prices as well.”

Tennessee is currently the 10th least expensive market in the US for gas.

Zoo Fights Data Center (Tennessean)

The Nashville Zoo is pushing back against plans for a new data center next to its South Nashville campus, raising concerns about the project's potential impact as data center development grows across Tennessee.

In a statement to The Tennessean, zoo officials said they are "vehemently opposed" to the project and are working with community partners to evaluate its potential impacts.

"Nashville Zoo is aware that a data center is interested in the property adjacent to our parking lot," the zoo said. "Nashville Zoo is vehemently opposed to the proposed data center being built next to the Zoo. As a conservation and sustainability focused organization, we are working with community partners to learn what we can do to protect the Zoo's property, animals, and our surrounding neighborhoods."

A city permit application filed by Georgia-based company DC BLOX proposes a new 69,220-square-foot, single-story data center at 648 Grassmere Park, adjacent to Nashville Zoo property in South Nashville. The project would require demolishing two existing buildings and constructing the data center along with related infrastructure.

DC BLOX is a digital infrastructure company that develops and operates data centers and fiber networks across the Southeast. The company has 23 data centers either in operation or under development and serves cloud providers, businesses and other large technology customers.

"The facility will not be an AI factory placing a burden on local resources. From our past projects, as well as the proposed Nashville facility, we commit to using closed-loop or waterless cooling designs to minimize ongoing water use. We commit to the local utility to pay for all power used as well as any new energy infrastructure required to support our project. And we commit to maintaining and testing noise levels to measurable and acceptable levels and adhering to all local environmental requirements.”

The proposal comes as Nashville lawmakers debate whether the city should place new restrictions on large-scale data centers.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

All eyes will be on Nashville, Tennessee, as Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale, presented by Edward Jones and Silverbelly Whiskey, takes place at Nissan Stadium on June 27th.

Tickets sold out quickly, but you can still see the show. The Fisher Center at Belmont is offering livestream tickets to watch the show happening at Nissan Stadium. The event begins at 6:30pm with a live band before the livestream begins.

Every ticket purchased for the live stream helps launch the Alan Jackson Legacy endowed scholarship at Belmont University, supporting and inspiring the next generation of artists!

Tickets are available at www.thefishercenter.com.