Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-23-26

Maury County Commission approves moratorium on data centers (FPR)

The Maury County Commission voted Monday night to impose a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments, becoming the latest Middle Tennessee local government to pause tech infrastructure growth amid rising concerns over community impact.

Commissioners approved the one-year ban while rejecting an amendment that would have sent the resolution back to the Maury County Planning Commission with a recommendation to extend the timeframe to 24 months.

Kristi Ransom, attorney for the Maury County Planning Commission, cautioned commissioners against the longer duration, noting that courts typically view a 12-month pause as reasonable, whereas a two-year ban would face greater vulnerability in legal challenges. Ransom added that county leaders could legally extend the moratorium before the 12-month period expires if specific, justifiable conditions arise.

County leaders also expressed concern over potential procedural delays. Re-routing the resolution through the planning commission would have delayed a final commission vote by approximately two months, potentially opening a window for developers to submit data center applications before a moratorium could be formally enacted.

The temporary halt gives Maury County planners and elected officials time to draft local land-use policies, evaluate zoning guidelines, and assess potential burdens on public infrastructure.

A Growing Regional Resistance

Maury County’s decision reflects a broader wave of pushback across Middle Tennessee, where local governments are struggling to balance rapid industrial expansion with residents' concerns over water consumption, noise, and massive energy demands on the Tennessee Valley Authority power grid.

• Nashville/Davidson County: The Metro Nashville Council unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on data center permits alongside new zoning and environmental regulations. The vote followed months of intense public debate surrounding proposed facilities near the Nashville Zoo and the historic campus of Fisk University. Nashville’s new framework places strict noise limits, bans facilities over 500,000 square feet, restricts medium and large facilities to industrial areas, and mandates closed-loop water systems.

• Dickson County: The Dickson County Commission recently enacted a six-month moratorium on new data center construction to allow planners time to study environmental and utility impacts.

• Lawrenceburg / Lawrence County: Just south of Maury County, the City of Lawrenceburg Planning Commission recently approved a site plan for the proposed Flatwoods Data Center despite growing community backlash. Organized residents have formed advocacy groups, launched petitions calling for a 18-month moratorium, and raised funds to explore legal challenges over environmental risks and lack of public research. The Lawrence County Commission is set to vote on its own 12-month moratorium on data centers.

Across the region, city and county leaders say the temporary pauses are necessary to ensure that local infrastructure keeps pace with the demands of high-density computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Spring Hill reviews temporary intersection for Legacy Pointe development (MSM)

A temporary traffic intersection could soon be installed to help ease congestion associated with the Legacy Pointe development.

The proposal was presented to the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen during its July 6 meeting as part of ongoing traffic improvements required for the project.

The board approved Legacy Pointe in December 2022, requiring developers to complete roadway improvements outlined in the project’s Master Traffic Impact Plan.

The temporary intersection would be located at Crossings Boulevard and Kedron Road, and is intended to accommodate traffic generated during the project’s initial construction phase.

According to the traffic study, nearby intersections are expected to continue operating at or above the city’s adopted Level of Service (LOS) D and E standards. The study also found that the heaviest congestion during peak travel times is expected to occur along southbound Kedron Road between Old Kedron Road and Reserve Boulevard.

City staff and developers have been coordinating with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to ensure both the temporary and permanent intersection designs comply with state and local requirements.

Construction is expected to begin within 30 days and take approximately 90 days to complete. The developer has agreed to cover all costs associated with constructing and maintaining the temporary intersection improvements.

The board also discussed the possibility of accepting a future donation of Erwin Park from Maury County, a proposal that would preserve the park’s natural character while transferring ownership to the city.

City officials requested the board’s feedback on the potential donation, which is still under consideration by the Maury County Park Board. Before any transfer can take place, the proposal must also be recommended by the Park Board and approved by the Maury County Commission.

Under the proposed agreement, the park would be transferred with deed restrictions or other legally enforceable conditions designed to preserve its existing natural condition. Those restrictions would prohibit future development such as lighting, additional buildings or structures, athletic fields and the expansion of impervious surfaces.

If accepted, the restrictions would remain binding on the city and future Boards of Mayor and Aldermen in accordance with the terms of the donation documents.

According to city officials, accepting ownership of the park would allow Spring Hill to oversee long-term maintenance, programming, capital improvements and future planning while maintaining the property’s natural character. Officials also expressed appreciation for Maury County’s stewardship of Erwin Park and its willingness to donate the community asset.

City council hears East Columbia Walkability Survey results (MSM)

The Columbia City Council recently heard Kimley-Horn’s report on their Active Living Area plan for East Columbia which offered insight and results into a walkability survey conducted for the area.

At the council’s study session, Annika Gilliam, a landscape architect with Kimley-Horn, explained that while many of East Columbia’s residents struggle with inactivity and chronic disease, their living situation can be helped by infrastructure that allows foot and pedal traffic to navigate the neighborhood and reach the rest of the city.

“One contributing factor to its distressed health situation is the physical and social separation of East Columbia from the rest of the city,” she said. “The goal of this Active Living Area plan is to identify improvements that can be made to the walkability, public spaces and community connectivity of East Columbia.”

The firm held two public-input sessions in January and November 2025, where they gathered the opinions and ideas of East Columbia residents: first on the amenities the city should offer, and second on the specific proposals the firm drafted based on the first session. The residents reportedly appreciated the idea of more walking infrastructure, as long as it respected the area’s character and heritage. They also asked to have the dilapidated Frierson-Johnson Park refurbished.

Another of Kimley-Horn’s flagship ideas is for the city to create a “greenway” walking trail that leads to downtown Columbia from at least as far back as Fairview Park, and possibly as far as Yanahli Park. Other popular suggestions included building or restoring sidewalks, upgrading the curb grades and crosswalks, installing streetlights on pedestrian routes and adding “children present” signs to major thoroughfares.

Councilwoman Cheryl Secrest, who represents East Columbia with the rest of the city’s Third Ward, pointed out that she could walk down her street with or without sidewalks. However, she agreed with her constituents that the Frierson-Johnson Park needs to be renovated and locked outside of use hours.

“People are asking for restrooms… [and improved] basketball courts… for different activities [at Frierson-Johnson Park],” she said. “As far as Fairview Park… everything sounds good.”

“Frierson-Johnson Park, I never knew it was there until I sat on the city council,” said Vice Mayor Randy McBroom, acknowledging the potential of the Third Ward. “Fairview Park, [on the other hand, has] the [No. 1] rented building [in the city portfolio]. Fairview Park is crowded.”

“Having spent a lot of time over in this area, I think walkability is a key component,” said Mayor Chaz Molder. “We want to talk about connecting our arts district to our downtown district; I think that this is another piece of that connectivity… and sidewalks would go a long way.”

The Active Living Plan will be discussed with city staff and receive their input before real implementation can happen.

Sweetwater Park Welcomes the Community for Grand Opening Festivities (FPR)

If you’re looking for a great way to get outside with the family later this week, a brand-new community space is officially making its debut.

Maury County Parks and Recreation has announced the grand opening of Sweetwater Park in Culleoka. The official celebration kicks off on Saturday, July 25th, starting at 9:00 AM.

The morning will feature a formal welcome, a park dedication, and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Neighbors and visitors can be among the first to check out the new amenities, including a brand-new playground area.

To help celebrate, the Culleoka Community Club will be serving up hot dogs, and you can cool off with a snow cone from Kona Ice. Complimentary coffee and water will also be available while supplies last.

The event runs for three hours, from 9:00 AM until noon. Sweetwater Park is located at 2420 Mooresville Pike in Culleoka. Everyone in the community is invited to come out, support the new park, and enjoy a morning outdoors.

Records and complaints paint a frustrating picture of Maury County's courthouse parking problem (NC5)

Every Monday at the Maury County Courthouse starts the same way: a scramble for a place to park.

With more than 100 cases on the docket sometimes, the Maury County Judicial Center's 86 visitor spots are not enough.

Since the courthouse opened at the end of 2024, the parking shortage has been a persistent problem — one that attorney and county commissioner Jerry Bridenbaugh says has not gotten much attention.

"If you can imagine general sessions, juvenile, the regular chancery or circuit docket, and jury pools for a trial, you have cars from here to downtown," said Jerry Bridenbaugh.

Bridenbaugh, who took office just before construction started, says the nature of courthouse visits makes the problem easy to overlook.

"You get sued, you have a divorce, you come, you leave and never come back — so you don't see it on a daily basis like you do if you go to a retail establishment. But for those of us who are here, it is a consistent problem," Bridenbaugh said.

The overflow has pushed drivers to find creative solutions. Visitors have parked on grass and sidewalks along Main Street.

Nearby residents on E. 10th Street have had mail skipped because vehicles were blocking their mailboxes. One homeowner described trying to get help — and getting nowhere.

At the corner of Main Street and East 10th Street, The Ridge Butcher Shop and Fresh Market sits directly across from the courthouse. Store manager Daniel Lilley says overflow parking regularly spills into the surrounding area, including the store's private lot.

"We have signs, professional ones, but also we've handwritten a sign that we put in the center of the driveway. That way if anyone drives past, it's obvious you weren't supposed to park here," Lilley said.

Lilley says he has contacted more than 20 officials seeking a resolution and has not received a callback. He does not believe businesses should be forced to tow people.

The county has made small changes, including allowing district attorneys and public defenders — who are present nearly every day — access to the secure parking lot used by court employees. But Daniel Lilley, the butcher shop manager who first brought the issue to my attention, says the problem is far from solved.

"It's just frustrating that it's not getting resolved," Lilley said.

Parking enforcement records show just 5 citations and 7 warnings have been issued since the courthouse opened. Lilley said police are not the root cause of the problem, but there may be room for more enforcement.

"I don't think it's necessarily the police's fault, but maybe there should be some sort of process if you knew that their parking was an issue," Lilley said. "And you've now relegated that to somebody else's problem."

The county also passed on an opportunity to buy the vacant bookstore next door, which could have been used for additional parking. Bridenbaugh backed the idea and now worries a solution may be harder to find.

"There's all kinds of obstacles you would have to go through in order to find this solution," Bridenbaugh said.

Now a look at your hometown memorials…

Ramon “Ray” Harry Sanderson, 91, a longtime resident of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Life Care Center of Columbia.

Services will be conducted on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at Columbia First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Stephen Sauls officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00am -1:00pm followed by a Memorial Service at 1:00pm. Military honors will be provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Hammerhead worms are spreading in Tennessee (Tennessean)

Another invasive species is on the rise this summer in Tennessee, and this one poses a significant threat to the state's ecosystem.

On July 18, Protect Tennessee Forests posted on social media that there has been an increase in reports in Tennessee in the past few weeks of sightings of the hammerhead worm, an invasive species from Southeast Asia. It is believed the worms arrived in the U.S. in the early 1900s through nursery plant soil.

"We are receiving more reports on hammerhead worms across Tennessee, and we want to make sure you know what to look for and what to do," Protect Tennessee Forests wrote on Facebook.

Based on the post, there is no isolated area where the worms are being found, and the entire state should be on the lookout for these invasive creatures.

Here is what to know about spotting one and preventing the spread in Tennessee.

What is a hammerhead worm or hammerhead flatworm?

Hammerhead worms are a terrestrial flatworm with a half-moon-shaped head, not unlike the similarly named hammerhead sharks.

Also known as land planarians or shovel-headed garden worms, their bodies are flat, ribbon-like, and often brown or gray with distinctive stripes or mottling running down their backs. They are also long, up to 15 inches, and narrow, except for their wide, flat heads.

Hammerhead worms' mouths are located on the underside of their body toward the middle, and they wrap around their prey to consume it. The species is predatory, eating other organisms that commonly live in dirt like earthworms, snails, slugs and arthropods.

Are hammerhead worms harmful to humans?

A hammerhead worm, an invasive species that can sometimes be found in Tennessee.

While they are not severely dangerous to humans or pets, the worm can be an irritant to daily life.

The tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin also found in puffer fish, secreted by hammerhead worms can cause a rash if handled with bare hands.

Wash skin immediately if you come in contact with one, and caution children not to pick them up. Be cautious if pets encounter hammerhead worms, as the toxin can make them sick if eaten. No serious injuries or deaths have yet been attributed to hammerhead worms.

Why are hammerhead worms a problem?

Hammerhead worms are more of a danger to the ecosystem than to humans.

Many species are aquatic, but land planarians are found in soil and areas closely associated with moisture, including areas under rocks, shrubs, debris, and logs. After heavy rains, land planarians may be found on the soil surface.

The problem is what they eat. Hammerhead worms prey on earthworms, which are essential to healthy soil. Fewer earthworms means less aeration, less decomposition and less nutrient cycling for your garden and surrounding ecosystems.

What do you do when you find a hammerhead worm?

A hammerhead worm in Maui, Hawaii. The worm is native to Southeast Asia.

While there are several ways to kill a hammerhead worm effectively, the worst thing you can do is chop them up, as that just causes each piece to generate a new worm.

Protect Tennessee Forests advises those who come in contact with these pests to use gloves or a stick to place it in a sealed bag or container. You can then cover it with salt, rubbing alcohol, or a citrus oil and vinegar spray applied directly to the worm.

Final story of the day…

Fruit Tea Competition on September 12 by Columbia Main Street (Release)

For the first time ever, Columbia is searching for the recipe that will earn the title of Best Fruit Tea in Columbia, Tennessee. On Saturday, September 12, 2026, Columbia Main Street invites the community to battle it out in the Fruit Tea Challenge at the community-wide Fruit Teaser event.

Restaurants, businesses, churches, caterers, nonprofit organizations, civic clubs, and individuals with “secret” recipes passed down through generations are invited to compete for the title. Teams must register at ColumbiaMainStreet.com by September 1. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

At the event, each competitor will provide approximately 10 gallons of homemade fruit tea to serve during the ticketed tasting. Guests will sample each recipe and vote for their favorite, while a panel of judges will also select a winner.

Two champions will be crowned:

• “The People's Pour” – Community Choice

• “The Golden Glass Award” – Judges' Choice

Both winners will earn community titles of Columbia's Best Fruit Tea, receive special recognition from Columbia Main Street’s social media, and be featured in an official press release announcing their winning recipe.

Want to taste them all? Fruit Tea Tasting Tickets are just $5 and can be purchased in advance at ColumbiaMainStreet.com or at the event. Guests who pre-purchase their tasting ticket will receive a FREE collectible Fruit Tea cup while supplies last.

To learn more about the Fruit Teaser event and other Columbia Main Street programs and events, visit ColumbiaMainStreet.com or follow @ColumbiaTNMainStreet on social media.