Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-17-25

Regional partnership on Duck River among Trump cuts (Press Release)

The Duck River Watershed Society (DRWS) regrets to announce that the 2024 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project, valued at $20 million, has been rescinded through recent legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President.

The RCPP is a five-year program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The DRWS project was one of only three in Tennessee—and one of 92 nationwide—to receive an award. The focus of the project was stream restoration within the Duck River Watershed, aimed at protecting and enhancing aquatic habitat in what is considered America’s Most Biodiverse River—the Duck River and its tributaries.

DRWS extends heartfelt thanks to our incredible partners: The Tennessee Nature Conservancy, the Tennessee Environmental Council, and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. These organizations have worked tirelessly to protect and preserve our state’s natural environment, and their support was instrumental in the selection of our project.

DRWS would also like to thank Richard Hanson and the Ecosystems, Planning, and Restoration (EPR) group for their invaluable contributions. Their expertise in ecosystem restoration is world-class, and they remain national leaders in environmental engineering.

Despite this setback, the Duck River Watershed Society remains laser-focused on our mission: educating the community about the uniqueness, biodiversity, and vital importance of the Duck River Watershed.

The group pledges to continue to be champions not only for people, but for the 650+ aquatic species that call the Duck River home. We are committed to seeking new opportunities that support a healthy, sustainable watershed for generations to come

Friendship Academy is classical school for homeless, at-risk children (MSM)

Bethany and Dr. Jim Torino’s Friend Foundation has much to celebrate nowadays. A version of the HOPE Pilot Act, drafted by Bethany Torino and sponsored by State Rep. Scott Cepicky, recently passed the state House of Representatives with unanimous support. It will start by conducting a TACIR study (a kind of audit) of the state’s “Continuums of Care,” to identify hiccups in the flow of tax dollars from state departments to the local nonprofits that directly help people.

“The way that that money is coming down is not helpful to local nonprofits. Somehow the money gets swallowed up before it gets down to us,” Bethany Torino explained. “I don’t think there needs to be more funding. I think if you just get us the funding that is being handed down, then we as a community know what to do with it.”

The results of the study will be delivered in January 2026.

It wasn’t exactly what the Friend Foundation had hoped for (they wanted the HOPE Pilot to establish a central office for poverty management, which would consolidate the local nonprofits’ efforts to help people), but they accept the TACIR study as a good first step forward.

“To those of us directly involved in the process, this is a cause for celebration,” Bethany Torino said. “We are hopeful the TACIR report will lead to another piece of legislation… next year… [and] ultimately, we HOPE the state of TN will put the appropriate funding and provisions back into the hands of the local nonprofits.”

Meanwhile, the Friend Foundation is now at work on its top priority over which it has control: the Friendship Academy, a K-5 private school for the children of homeless or at-risk families.

The concept of this program was also made possible by Cepicky, this time by the school-voucher bill he co-sponsored that passed during the last session of the state legislature. The bill was controversial, but it turned out to be a goldmine for Bethany Torino as she was brainstorming ways to improve the educational outcomes of “her” kids.

On the one hand, she knew the homeless and at-risk students weren’t being challenged or met at their level in school: “My grades are terrible, but they’re sending me to eighth grade,” one seventh-grader told her flippantly during an intervention. On the other hand, Cepicky had just brought her another bit of bombshell information — while planning the new state penitentiary, the legislators calculated the necessary number of cells by extrapolating from the numbers of fourth-graders in the school system who aren’t reading at grade level.

The school-voucher policy now allows the Friend Foundation to get $7,000 in tax money for each of the students and fund a private school. Up to 30 students (five per grade, kindergarten through fifth) will be enrolled in the program, giving it a budget of about $210,000 plus whatever scholarships and grants they can apply for — not much in the grand scheme of things, Bethany said, but enough to hire two teachers and handle other operations. There are at least 86 homeless children in Maury County and they can only take in a fraction of them, but it’s a good start; Bethany hopes to open a second school next year, if everything goes really well.

Friendship Academy will provide a Category 1, classical-esque liberal-arts education to the students, with a special focus in the arts. Along with a stimulating curriculum, the students will also do culturally enriching activities, from attending the Schermerhorn Symphony to reading classic books, and crucially, they’ll be conversant in upscale private-school culture by the end of the Friendship Academy course of study.

“It was difficult for me to learn how to be a private-school mom, much less someone who barely knows how to be a mom,” Torino said of her own experience.

Friendship Academy’s crash course in being “spoiled little private-school kids” — Torino’s affectionate term — will help them to transfer to another school at the end of fifth grade: Columbia Academy, Zion Christian Academy or, should they ever decide to accept government funding, Agathos Classical School.

The school will be hosted by a local church, which she doesn’t want to name before plans are set in stone, whose facilities would otherwise sit empty all week. Each family will be mentored by a church of their choice, which will speak to their true needs — not only their stated ones — and advocate for them.

“I’m setting it up for success, and I expect to see success, because the family is being supported, and that is one of the pieces that is missing in education,” she explained. “The family should not be judged; they are in survival mode, and they are barely surviving. They have their problems, but everybody has problems; some of us are just rich enough that we can cover them up.”

Everything depends on the two teachers. Friendship Academy has found its liberal-arts teacher, and is seeking a “STEM” teacher who is not only trained to deal with traumatized children, but who will also go above and beyond in crafting the curriculum and imparting to the students a love of their field of study. In return the teachers will be generously compensated and get “creative control” of their curricula.

“[We’re] investing [the funds] in the actual teachers,” Torino said, “[and] I want to put the teacher in control… I want to say [to them], ‘You’re talented. You’re in this because you want to work for this population; give me what you’ve got’… I want to see what two talented teachers can do.”

“I’m not an educator… [so] with the help of several people in the community who understand the population and the needs of the children, we put together a school that is going to take advantage of the bill and make [it] what it is supposed to be. [It will be] a slow, long on-ramp into private education for children and their family.”

As with the HOPE Act, she hopes this will be a “pilot” for other nonprofits in Tennessee, from which they can take inspiration and ideas.

“After I prove this model, I want it to be available to any other entity in Tennessee that wants to set up a micro-school to teach these children,” she said proudly. “I want every scholarship that is available to these low-income students to be used by this program if possible.”

Maury County Animal Services rescue lives true underdog story in 'Superman' (CDH)

While it may be no bird or plane, one Maury County pup is a true underdog going from shelter life to top dog on the silver screen as a canine actor in the new "Superman" blockbuster movie.

Sparrow, a four-year-old terrier mutt/schnauzer mix, was adopted by Maury County Animal Services and can be seen in The Man of Steel in the new film.

"You can't change a dog's past, but you can rewrite its future," Maury County Animal Services Director Kim Raffauf said.

Sparrow was adopted by Charlies Angels Saving Animals Transport, a nonprofit which helps existing animals in overcrowded shelters, primarily in West Tennessee, by relocating them to shelters and rescue partners in northern states with available space and adopters.

The organization posted a video with a brief message to Instagram on July 13 featuring the young pup's big scene.

"Most of the dogs we rescue go on to live the good life—whether that means becoming a couch potato or someone's new hiking partner. But every now and then ... one becomes a movie star," the nonprofit said on social media.

"Watching animals like Sparrow go from shelter life to thriving is exactly why we do this work. She's living proof that it's always worth dreaming big and never giving up hope. And hey, if she breaks into Hollywood ... we'll be the first to cheer her on."

"Superman" has not only garnered more than $220 million its July 11 opening weekend but also caused a massive spike in the pet adoption world. According to the dog training app Woofz, Google searches for "adopt a dog near me" jumped 513% since the film's release.

“We are so proud to have had a hand in her journey. Sparrow was rescued from Maury County Animal Shelter and found her way to the Big Screen,” Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt shared on social media Monday.

“We couldn’t have written the script better ourselves. It is a simple story - an underdog with a second chance.”

Sparrow also joins lucky dog Ozu in the movie, director James Gunn's real life rescue dog that inspired the super dog main canine character Krypto in the movie, Superman's loyal sidekick.

Community partnerships paramount for CPWS (Press Release)

Columbia Power & Water Systems (CPWS) has continued to solidify its continued efforts to being good community partners with area nonprofit organizations, schools and the business community through a multitude of different avenues.

At its May board meeting, CPWS welcomed Habitat for Humanity of Williamson and Maury Counties CEO Kim Randell to speak about their efforts in Maury County. CPWS Board Chairman Walker Vining and CPWS CEO Jonathan Hardin each expressed their gratitude for the organization’s work in the community.

“What Habitat for Humanity means in the community cannot be overstated,” Hardin said. “There are fewer and fewer affordable housing options in our community. Anything we can do to help them be successful, we will do.”

Randell said the organization builds as many as 20 homes per year in the county, with plans to host a home dedication ceremony of its most recent home on June 14 in Columbia.

“We are incredibly thankful for the partnership we have with CPWS and the commitment it is making to us as an organization to partner with us,” she added.

Two other community partners are Maury Alliance and The Well Outreach, which provides free groceries to families in both Williamson and Maury counties. CPWS hosted a food drive in the last month for employees and customers to show their support for the organization through donation.

The Well Outreach CEO Shelly Sassen was proud to receive the donation from CPWS, saying, “The generosity of Columbia Power & Water Systems goes a long way with our organization to meet the needs of our clients. It takes a community to feed a community, and the community at CPWS is appreciated.”

For Maury Alliance, the partnership runs deep and a three-year commitment to promoting a new initiative by the economic development arm of the organization. As the focus on industry changes in Maury County, so do the needs of those industries, and CPWS is looking forward to moving the county forward in that regard.

“Over the years, CPWS has not just been a supporter of our organization, they have been a true partner. In addition to their investment into the work we do, their staff serve on our board, various councils and committees, and work tirelessly to assist us with our economic development projects,” said Wil Evans, Maury Alliance CEO. “We consider CPWS a valued member of our team when it comes to the work we do.”

With these partnerships, the level of community support at CPWS has never been greater.

“It is our mission to make sure we are doing our part to give back to the community when possible and making Maury County a place where we can all be proud to call home,” Hardin said.

Most recently, CPWS donated school supplies to Highland Park Elementary School from donations made by employees, along with a company match, ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

“Our community trusts us to be good stewards. Through the generosity of our employees and the dedicated staff at CPWS, we are happy to support the work of area non-profit organizations and help kids in the community be as prepared as possible for the school year,” Hardin added.

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

Mrs. Betty Sue Wade Reedy, 88, wife of James Reedy, and a resident of Columbia, died Saturday, July 12 at Maury Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Friday from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Mrs. Valerie Coleman Brantingham, 69, retired secretary for Columbia First United Methodist Church, and resident of Columbia, TN died Friday, July 11 at her residence. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 2:00 PM at Columbia First United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends on Saturday from 11:00 until 2:00 PM at Columbia First United Methodist Church.

Social media post suggests proposed TVA project ‘dead’ (Cheatham Exchange)

The Tennessee Valley Authority has announced via social media that Lockertsville Road is no longer the preferred site for its proposed 900 megawatt generation facility.

“Based on feedback in response to our scoping process and at Board listening sessions, as well as input from the TVA Board of Directors, the Lockertsville Road site in Cheatham County, TN, is no longer the preferred alternative for a proposed 900 MW generation facility,” a post on X reads. “With input from community leaders, we are evaluating a site at a nearby industrial park as well as other Middle Tennessee sites that will support economic development and address the increasing power demand across the system. We remain committed to delivering reliable, low-cost electricity to power the region’s continued growth.”

Cheatham County Mayor Kerry McCarver posted on his Facebook page over the weekend, “I had a call from Amanda Bell that John Rich had posted on his Twitter account that he talked with President Trump about the TVA fiasco in Cheatham County. I called John and he confirmed President Trump told John to consider the project dead! The Agricultural and Energy Departments will work to have the second plant constructed in New Johnsonville where residents actually want the plant. We’ll keep you posted…thanks to John Rich…we have never been closer to moving the plant where it belongs and out of Cheatham County. Have a great weekend!”

John Rich’s brother Isaac Rich also made a similar announcement at the Riverbluff Park concert in Ashland City on Saturday that his brother had reportedly spoken with President Trump, who allegedly told John that the TVA project was “dead.”

The TVA, which proposed an electric power plant fueled by a gas pipeline in rural Cheatham County off Lockertsville Road last year, has met with strong and consistent opposition from both Cheatham County residents and elected officials like McCarver.

The worst place to live in the U.S.? Tennessee ranks dead last (USA Today)

Tennessee is topping the charts, but not in a good way.

The Volunteer State was recently named the worst state for quality of life, according to a CNBC study. While Tennessee has previously been among the worst states, this is the first year since the COVID-19 pandemic that the state has come in dead last.

In 2024, Tennessee ranked as the sixth-worst state for quality of life, accumulating just 96 out of 325 possible points. In 2023, Tennessee came in eighth place for the worst quality of life.

The quality of life ranking is a subsection of CNBC's Best States for Business study. Points are awarded to states based on crime rates, environmental quality, health care and more, according to CNBC.

What makes life in Tennessee so bad?

According to the CNBC study, Tennessee's weaknesses include the crime rate, inclusiveness and worker protections.

The crime rate in Tennessee has long dragged the state's reputation down in the CNBC poll. In 2023, the most recent year of data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, there were 43,613 offenses of violent crimes, including more than 700 murders.

For every 100,000 people, there were 628 crimes in 2023. That's 67.8% higher than the national average, according to USA Facts, a nonprofit organization specializing in government data accessibility.

Inclusiveness was another one of Tennessee's most grave weaknesses, according to CNBC. The study specifically cites legislation limiting the rights of the LGBTQ+ population, and the state's 2023 law that codifies a person’s gender based on their anatomy.

CNBC did give Tennessee one thumbs-up for the state's air quality.

Is Tennessee a safe state to live in?

Tennessee has the third-highest crime rate in the nation, according to the most recent data.

Of course, not all areas of Tennessee have an equal rate of crime. Nolensville, Signal Mountain, Kingston, Mount Juliet and Oakland are considered the safest areas of the state, according to Safewise.