Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-2-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for July 2, 2026

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

Teen Dies in Spring Hill Accident (MauryCountySource)

A 15-year-old girl died after the electric scooter she was riding was struck by a vehicle in Spring Hill early Saturday morning, according to WKRN. 

The crash occurred along Highway 31 South, just beneath the ramp to the GM plant, on Saturday, June 27, according to the Spring Hill Police Department. Officers arrived on scene and immediately began performing CPR on the teenager.

Authorities told WKRN the teen was riding her e-scooter southbound on Highway 31 — where the posted speed limit is 55 mph — when she was struck from behind by a Nissan Rogue driven by a 47-year-old Lebanon woman. The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation, including the exact position of the scooter on the roadway at the time of impact. No arrests have been made in connection with the crash.

MC Planning Commission Considers Data Center Moratorium (MSM)

The Maury County Planning Commission has recommended the county impose a moratorium on data center approvals, halting new permits for up to 12 months or until the county establishes formal regulations governing such facilities.

The Maury County Commission will consider the moratorium in July.

The county zoning ordinance currently allows data centers — defined as a “facility containing one or more large-scale computer systems used for data storage and processing for off-site users” — under certain conditions. They are permitted only as special exceptions in Heavy Industrial (IH) zoning or in Planned Development Districts, both of which require a public hearing and planning commission review. Section 4.2.4(D)(7) of the ordinance imposes anti-nuisance standards including decibel limits, a 25-acre minimum lot size and setbacks of 300 to 500 feet for the buildings that house the working components of a data center.

County zoning attorney Kristi Ransom told the commission those standards were written with smaller facilities in mind, not the massive data centers now being proposed across the U.S.

“[The] standards in the zoning ordinance now… [don’t] necessarily anticipate these large data centers,” Ransom said. “[I recall we wrote it for] small or medium-sized [data centers], not these really big ones that we’re seeing across the country.”

Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt asked Ransom and County Attorney Mark Dobies to review and update the zoning ordinance in light of the growing national debate over large data centers. Ransom asked the county government to temporarily restrict data center development to give them time to properly investigate, classify and regulate data centers.

Ransom and county Building and Zoning Director Robert Caldiraro agreed that land-use plans could be the most effective tool for imposing public-welfare regulations on data centers. Ransom drafted an ordinance that defines “data centers” broadly in order to capture a wide range of facilities.

“Rather than try and cobble something together quickly, I have drafted the moratorium so that [we can take] some time to figure out the best path,” she said.

Several county commissioners expressed the opinion that large data centers should be restricted or even banned, to the extent the county has authority to do so.

“We’ve all seen, in the news, how big of a strain they put on local communities,” said commissioner Brandon Nutt during the June meeting of the Administration Committee.

Commissioner Scott Sumners agreed and proposed a moratorium that could last up to two years, citing underdeveloped utility infrastructure as justification.

Dobies urged caution in crafting any restrictions.

“We have to be prudent and thoughtful … not [imposing a] blanket moratorium, [but giving] justifiable reasons for any decision that we make,” Dobies said. “This topic is subject to a lot of litigation at the moment.”

Public commenter James Dallas, a candidate for county commission District 4 and a database administrator by profession, commended the moratorium and said his own goal was a well-considered “compromise” rather than an outright ban.

Dallas acknowledged both the economic weight of the tech sector — noting that Nashville’s technology industry added $12 billion to the metro area’s economy in 2024, roughly twice Maury County’s gross domestic product — and also the downsides of poorly regulated data centers.

“I work as a database administrator … My job frankly depends on data centers … [and] data centers like the one my employer uses support hundreds or thousands of other [off-site] jobs,” he said. “[However,] the potential harm caused by data centers is a serious public issue: rapid growth of AI and crypto … [have hurt] communities across the country, including water and power problems, noise pollution and other social harms.”

Dallas noted that no plans have been publicized to build a data center anywhere in Maury County, which he said makes the present moment an ideal time to establish standards. He asked the county to incorporate factors such as facility size, power and water demands, and site-specific impacts into its approval criteria.

“A 12-month moratorium will give appropriate time to deal with these needs thoughtfully, and to cool off what is frankly a hot-button political issue,” he said. “The worst thing that the county could do right now is nothing, but the next-worst thing … would be a rushed proposal that is either overly broad or not defensible in court.”

Spring Hill EMS Gets Year Extension on Service Contract (MSM)

Emergency medical services will continue operating citywide in Spring Hill for at least another year after the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a one-year extension of the city’s existing EMS interlocal agreement last week. 

The board approved the resolution extending the agreement between Spring Hill, Williamson County and Williamson Health while local leaders evaluate long-term options for emergency medical service delivery. 

Spring Hill was contracted for citywide EMS service in 2006. Under Tennessee law, emergency medical services are considered an essential county function requiring counties to provide the service directly or arrange for it to be provided. 

Since 2020, EMS services in Spring Hill have been provided through an agreement involving Williamson County and Williamson Health, allowing a single provider to serve residents on both sides of the Maury-Williamson county line. 

City staff said maintaining one provider throughout Spring Hill remains the most effective option, ensuring consistent service and avoiding a split EMS system based on county boundaries. 

Williamson County indicated EMS service would discontinue in the Maury County portion of Spring Hill at the end of the fiscal year unless Spring Hill provided a grant. 

Mayor Matt Fitterer said the city is not interested in bearing the costs that state law identifies as a county obligation. 

After discussions involving officials from Spring Hill, Maury County and Williamson County, the parties reached an agreement to extend the current arrangement for one year. 

City staff said the extension will provide time to evaluate long-term EMS solutions while maintaining continuity of care for residents and seamless coordination with Spring Hill Fire Department first responders. 

The resolution also authorizes Fitterer and City Administrator J. Cater Napier to represent the city’s interest in future negotiations regarding EMS service delivery and administrations. 

Section of Kedron Road Closed (MauryCountySource)

A section of Kedron Road in Spring Hill will be closed for nearly a week as crews complete sewer line work beneath the roadway.

The full closure begins at 6 a.m. Monday, July 6, on Kedron Road just north of the westbound Saturn Parkway on- and off-ramps. The road is expected to reopen Sunday, July 12. Crews will work around the clock throughout the project.

Drivers traveling on Saturn Parkway will need to use the Port Royal Road or Main Street exits to reach the north side of Kedron Road. Detour signs will be posted, and traffic will still be able to turn south onto Kedron Road from Saturn Parkway.

Motorists should expect delays along the detour routes as traffic signal timing may change. The Spring Hill Police Department will assist with traffic control as needed.

Businesses near the closure will remain accessible from the north side of Kedron Road.

Leaders Comment on Unemployment Rate (MSM)

According to county leaders, Maury County’s April 2026 unemployment rate of 6.1 percent — the highest in Tennessee — was driven largely by extended retooling layoffs at the General Motors and Ultium Cells factories in Spring Hill.

Wil Evans, president of Maury Alliance, said the elevated figure was almost certainly caused by the extended paid layoffs at GM and Ultium, and compounded by ‘a few periodic, additional layoffs’ at those facilities. He pointed to the 4.5 percent unemployment rate the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development published last week for May, after the retooling layoffs ended, as evidence the spike was temporary.

“It is difficult to speak directly to the impact of individual employers to that number… [but] because these are two of our largest employers in Maury County, it is safe to assume that has been a contributor to the higher unemployment rates,” Evans told Main Street Maury. “We anticipate those employees to begin returning to the facilities over the next few months and are hopeful this will be reflected in lower unemployment rates.”

“Those of us who have been in Maury County for any length of time, understand that our unemployment rates fluctuate with GM shutdowns. It affects every ancillary manufacturing business. It is usually seasonal and temporary,” said Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt, noting that the annual unemployment rate for 2025 was 3.6 percent, not far from the usual rate of 3.3 percent.

Not everyone was satisfied with that context. County Commissioner Gabe Howard, who is running for county mayor, called the figure a warning sign.

“Maury County having the highest unemployment rate in Tennessee should be a wake-up call,” Howard posted after the figure first made headlines. “When one employer or one industry can move our countywide unemployment rate that much, we need a broader, stronger economic strategy.”

Evans told Main Street Maury that diversifications have already borne fruit.

“Our organization has worked diligently over the last 15 years to bring new and diversified job opportunities to Maury County… to help reduce the impact when one industry may experience challenges in the market,” Evans said. “[In] 2010, when General Motors Spring Hill had their last major reduction in local workforce, the Maury County unemployment rate was around 12 percent, which is double that of the most recent April rate. Taking this into account, we feel our efforts have been successful.”

“In the past three years, we have been able to diversify and bring higher paying jobs to Maury County… We have raised the Median Household Income by charting that course,” Mayor Butt agreed. “We have been more selective and it will pay great dividends in the future.”

July 4th Celebration (CDH)

Maury County will celebrate America's 250th birthday with multiple patriotic events, parades, fireworks, as well as recognizing several icons of local Columbia history.

The semiquincentennial celebration will kick off starting Friday, July 3, with an America 250-themed First Fridays in downtown Columbia from 5-8 p.m., where attendees are encouraged to dress up in the red, white and blue to show their patriotic spirit.

Columbia Breakfast Rotary, Noon Rotary and Kiwanis will celebrate the annual Rotary & Kiwanis 4th of July event starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Riverwalk Park, 102 Riverside Drive, which also includes a patriotic kids bike parade starting at 9:30 a.m.

The 4th of July celebrations will continue Saturday with a noon ceremonial bell ringing at the Maury County Bicentennial Tower, 302 W. 7th St., which will include a reading of the Declaration of Independence by the Sons of American Revolution at 11 a.m.

Spring Hill will round out the Independence Day festivities with a special America 250th celebration at The Crossings shopping center, 1001 Crossings Blvd. starting at 6 p.m. Saturday.

In addition to an evening of live music, The Crossings' America 250th event will conclude with a fireworks show at 9 p.m., followed by a drone show at 9:25 p.m., both presented by General Motors of Spring Hill.

As one of three Tennessee cities to call itself the former home of a U.S. President, Columbia's America 250 celebration would not be complete without recognizing the legacy of James K. Polk.

The James K. Polk Home & Museum, 301 W. 7th St., will present A Nation Redrawn, a free exhibit open between 4-8 p.m. Friday, July 3.

A Nation Redrawn invites visitors to explore Polk's role as the 11th U.S. President in expanding the nation, including the acquisition of Texas and Oregon territories, the Louisiana Purchase and the Treaty of Gudalupe Hidalgo.

Entry to the exhibit is free with the purchase of a regular tour ticket, or individual A Nation Redrawn tickets are available for $5.

The Polk Home will also host a live reading of the Declaration of Independence at 6 p.m. Friday.

Guests can also visit the life-size statues of James and Sarah Childress Polk across the street from the Polk Home & Museum at Preservation Park, a city project unveiled in 2023 and created by local sculptor Jennifer Grisham.

Earlier this year, the city of Columbia began hanging decorative America 250 banners along its downtown square and several local streets, while also paying tribute to 26 historical individuals who helped shape the town's history.

As part of the America 250 commemoration, the city has also launched Columbia250USA.com, a website containing information about local events, as well as the stories of Columbia's most influential figures, or its "Architects of History," according to a June 23 news release.

The website, which can be found at the city's VisitColumbiaTN.com tourism site, was created with information provided by the Maury County Archives, as well as the African American Heritage Society of Maury County, the release states.

"This initiative is about more than marking a milestone; it's about recognizing the people who built our community,” Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder said. "It's about ensuring that their stories continue to be told and inspire future generations. As we recognize America's 250th anniversary throughout 2026, Columbia is proud to celebrate our shared history while looking ahead to the future we are building together."

Dems Bestow Awards on Members (MSM)

The Maury County Democratic Party honored five local residents June 6 at its annual Progress Banquet, recognizing their contributions to community service, education, civic engagement, and leadership.

The annual event serves as the party’s primary recognition and fundraising banquet, highlighting individuals who have made meaningful contributions to civic life in Maury County. Each recipient receives $200 to donate to the charity of their choice.

The Judge Jimmy Matthews Community Service Award honors the legacy of Judge Jimmy Matthews, who served as General Sessions Judge in Maury County for many years. Judge Matthews supported the youth of Maury County through development of little league sports and selfless service to his community. This year’s recipient, Sandra Myatt Scales, was born and raised in Columbia and was recognized for her continued dedication to volunteer and community service efforts throughout Maury County.

The H.O. Porter Education and Citizenship Award commemorates educator and administrator H.O. Porter for his long service and dedication to the children of Maury County schools. This year’s recipient, Kaliente Conway Glenn, carries on that same spirit of dedication. Glenn serves as family resource liaison for Maury County Public Schools, where she works to support student success and strengthen family engagement. She is also involved in multiple community organizations.

The Ty Cobb Young Democrat Award is named for Ty Cobb, an outstanding service-minded Democrat in Maury County. This year’s honoree, Seth Feiner, serves as communications coordinator for Columbia State Community College and has become actively involved in local Democratic Party efforts since moving to Tennessee in 2024.

The Jerry and Linda Colley True Democrat Award honors Jerry and Linda Colley for their longtime service to the Democratic Party in Maury County. This year’s recipient, Angie Davis Jones, reflects that same servant spirit. Jones serves on the Executive Committee of the Maury County Democratic Party and is known for her tireless volunteer work, advocacy and support of Democratic candidates and community organizations.

The Life of the Party Award, which recognizes Democratic women for long-term dedication and service to the Democratic Party, was presented to Roxanne Hamilton. Hamilton serves as secretary and executive committee member of the Maury County Democratic Party. She has also played a key role in organizing, community outreach and fundraising efforts for the party.

Maury County Democratic Party officials said the honorees reflect the “best of community service and civic engagement in Maury County.”

The Maury County Democratic Party is the local county affiliate of the Tennessee Democratic Party and represents the interests of thousands of voters in the county.

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

Mrs. Bobbie Lou Collins Baker, 82, a longtime resident of Columbia, TN, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Poplar Estates. A graveside service will be conducted on Thursday, July 16 at 11:00 AM at Rose Hill Cemetery.

David Houston Harris, 72, a lifelong resident of Columbia, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

Graveside services will be conducted on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Pleasant Mount Cemetery.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com.

And now, news from around the state…

Voter Registration Deadline (Press Release)

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett today reminded all eligible voters across Tennessee that they must register to vote by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7, to be eligible to cast a ballot in the upcoming Primary Election on Thursday, August 6. “When you don’t vote, you turn over the keys of government to those who do. Here in Tennessee, we want every eligible citizen to cast a ballot, but the first step is registering,” said Secretary Hargett.

Registering to vote, updating, or checking your registration status is fast, easy, and secure with the Secretary of State's online voter registration system, GoVoteTN.gov, or the GoVoteTN App. Using a computer, phone, or tablet, citizens with a driver's license or a photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security can register in a matter of minutes.

“For the fourth year in a row, the State of Tennessee has been ranked number one in Election Integrity. We want all eligible Tennesseans to register to vote and cast a ballot in this election to experience our secure elections and let their voices be heard,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins.

Voters can also download a paper voter registration application at GoVoteTN.gov. Completed paper voter registration applications must be mailed to your local county election commission office or submitted in person. Mailed voter registrations must be postmarked by August 6.

Election Day registration is not available in Tennessee.

The Early Voting period for the August 6 Primary Election begins Friday, July 17, and runs through Saturday, August 1.

For more information about early voting and other election information, visit your trusted source for election information, GoVoteTN.gov or download the free GoVoteTN App.

Gas Prices (MSM)

Gas prices across the state are continuing to steadily decline, falling 12 cents, on average, over last week. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.38 which is 64 cents less expensive than one month ago but 60 cents more expensive than one year ago.  

“We’re continuing to see consistent declines at the pump, which comes at the perfect time for those planning a holiday road trip,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. 

AAA projects 1.47 million Tennesseans will travel by car over July 4 week, nearly the same number as last year when 1.46 million travelers took road trips. Nearly 91% of Tennesseans traveling for Independence Day are expected to drive to their destinations.

Tennessee is the fourth least expensive market for gas in the country.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Nashville Zoo has introduced three serval kittens born on May 21 that are beginning training to become future ambassador animals.

The kittens, named David Attenborough (Atty), Rachel Carson (Carson), and Jane Goodall (Goody), have spent their first weeks behind the scenes with their mother, Cleopatra.

The zoo said the kittens are being raised through a co-rearing program, allowing them to remain with Cleopatra for nursing and natural development while receiving daily hands-on socialization from animal care staff.

The trio has now started training with the zoo’s Behavior Husbandry team, and visitors can watch daily training sessions at 3 p.m. at the HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center.

Learn more at www.nashvillezoo.org.