Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-24-26

’27 Midstate Classic feature matchup announced (RELEASE)

Coming off consecutive appearances in the Women’s College World Series Final Four, the University of Tennessee is set to return to Columbia for the 2027 Midstate Classic at Ridley Park.

The Lady Vols will face Belmont in the April 13 event, marking the Lady Bruins’ first appearance in the contest since dropping a 16-0 decision in the 2016 game.

Belmont University Head Coach Laura Matthews shared her enthusiasm for the opportunity.

"We are so excited to head to Columbia to face Tennessee. It’s a unique experience, and we are excited to compete in front of a community who has really gotten behind softball.”

Now in its 12th year in Columbia, the Midstate Classic has become one of Middle Tennessee's premier spring softball events.

City Manager Tony Massey said the featured matchup reflects Columbia's continued commitment to hosting premier sporting events.

"The Midstate Classic has become a tradition our community looks forward to each year. Welcoming nationally recognized programs like Tennessee and Belmont showcases the quality of Ridley Sports Complex while creating an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors."

The annual tournament continues to attract outstanding collegiate competition, and the 2027 featured matchup between Tennessee and Belmont promises to be one of the event's most anticipated contests yet.

Mayor Chaz Molder said the event strengthens Columbia's reputation as a destination for high-caliber athletics.

"Hosting programs of this caliber is an exciting opportunity for our community. The Midstate Classic continues to highlight Columbia as a destination for exceptional athletic competition, and we're proud to welcome these outstanding teams to Ridley Sports Complex."

Parks and Recreation Director Mack Reagan said the tournament has become one of the department's signature annual events.

"Hosting the Midstate Classic for the 12th year is a testament to the dedication of our Parks and Recreation team and the outstanding reputation of Ridley Sports Complex. We look forward to welcoming athletes, coaches, and fans for another memorable day of competition."

Ticket information and preliminary matchups will be announced by the City of Columbia at a later date.

Maury County Animal Shelter breaks ground on expansion (FPR)

The Maury County Animal Shelter officially kicked off a long-awaited expansion project, marked by a public groundbreaking ceremony where the first shovels went into the ground at the facility on Tuesday.

Facing a severe overcrowding crisis, Maury County Animal Services issued an urgent SOS to the community as its facility reached critical capacity, filling every single available kennel and leaving no room for incoming stray or surrendered animals.

The emergency highlighted the desperate need for the shelter’s newly launched expansion project. A recent needs assessment revealed that the shelter was struggling to operate with just 55 kennels despite requiring roughly 108 to handle the area's surging animal population — a deficit that directly fueled the current space shortage.

“This has been a long time coming and represents a lot of hard work behind the scenes by our director,” the team at MCAS stated prior to the groundbreaking. “This is an exciting day for all of us that love the shelter.”

While the new construction promised long-term relief, shelter staff begged local residents for immediate help through adoptions and temporary fostering to clear out the overcrowded facility.

Officials urged anyone considering adding a four-legged member to their family to act right away, noting that all adoptable dogs and cats were already vaccinated, spayed, or neutered prior to leaving the shelter.

During the announcements, MCAS reminded the public that the shelter remained open seven days a week — from noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends — with no appointments necessary.

Residents seeking more information on adoption fees, available pets, or foster applications were encouraged to call 931-375-1402 or visit maurycounty-tn.gov.

Tennessee's tax-free weekend is coming (CDH)

Tennessee's tax-free weekend is this month, giving families an opportunity to save on back-to-school shopping.

Qualifying clothing, school supplies and computers can be purchased tax-free during the sales tax holiday, including eligible online purchases.

Tennessee is among the states with the highest average combined state and local sales tax rates. Nationwide, the population-weighted average combined sales tax rate is 7.53%, according to the Tax Foundation. Tennessee's combined rate is 9.61%, the second highest in the country, behind only Louisiana at 10.11%.

Here's everything to know.

When is tax-free weekend in Tennessee?

Tennessee's 2026 tax-free weekend begins at 12:01 a.m. on July 31 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 2.

What qualifies for Tennessee's sales tax holiday?

Here's a look at what qualifies for tax exemption and what doesn't.

Eligible

Clothing: General apparel that costs $100 or less per item, such as shirts, pants, socks, shoes, dresses.

School and art supplies: To be exempt, items must have a purchase price of $100 or less per item, such as binders, backpacks, crayons, paper, pens, pencils, and rulers, and art supplies such as glazes, clay, paints, drawing pads, and artist paintbrushes.

Computers: Computers for personal use with a purchase price of $1,500 or less. Laptop computers, if priced at $1,500 or less, also qualify as well as tablet computers.

Non-eligible

Clothing: Items priced at more than $100. Items sold together, such as shoes, cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 limit. Items such as jewelry, handbags, or sports and recreational equipment are also not eligible.

School and art supplies: Items priced at more than $100 are not eligible. Items that are normally sold together cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 limit.

Computers: Storage media, individually purchased software, printer supplies, and household appliances are not eligible.

Now a look at your hometown memorials…

Carol Joyce Fleener, 87, passed away on July 18. The family is grateful for the love and support shown during this difficult time. A memorial will be held on August 2nd, 2026 at 11:00 located at 42654 Fish Hatchery Rd, Scio OR.

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.

Weather…

Director Of Ebird, Chris Wood, Announced As 2026 Tennessee Biodiversity Summit Keynote (RELEASE)

Chris Wood, Program Director of the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Director of eBird, has been selected as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Tennessee Biodiversity Summit. Over the past two decades, Chris has helped build eBird into one of the world's largest biodiversity data resources, with more than two billion bird observations contributed by over one million participants worldwide.

Wood's keynote will explore how community science, artificial intelligence, and global biodiversity data are transforming conservation, helping scientists and decision-makers better understand where conservation actions can have the greatest impact.

"Birds are one of the clearest windows into the health of our environment. By understanding where birds are thriving—and where they're struggling—we gain the knowledge needed to conserve biodiversity for generations to come," said Wood.

“We are pleased to have Chris kick off the great line-up of speakers at this year’s summit,” stated Josh Campbell, Chief of Biodiversity with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Last year’s inaugural summit attracted nearly 650 attendees from across the state. The event, held at Middle Tennessee State University, is expected to attract a larger crowd in 2026. It will take place on October 21. The complete agenda and more about this year’s theme, “Moving the Needle, Wins in Conservation,” can be found on the state’s webpage.

This is the second year of the Tennessee Biodiversity Summit, whose mission is to celebrate and advance biodiversity conservation across the state. Chris's work demonstrates how participatory science and cutting-edge data analysis can generate the information needed to guide effective conservation decisions.

Chris focuses on connecting participatory science with advanced analytics to generate actionable information for bird conservation. He works closely with governments, NGOs, and research institutions worldwide to turn massive biodiversity datasets into practical conservation solutions.

Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird is among the world's largest participatory science projects. More than one million participants have contributed over two billion bird observations, creating an unparalleled resource for understanding bird distributions, migration, and population change. This supports thousands of scientific studies and conservation initiatives worldwide, including efforts to protect birds and their habitats in Tennessee.

CPWS caps off school supply drive (FPR)

Columbia Power & Water Systems (CPWS) wrapped up another highly successful Annual School Supply Drive, collecting three full van loads of essential classroom materials and $981 in cash donations to support local students and teachers heading into the new school year.

The community-wide drive culminated in a celebratory cookout hosted at the CPWS main office, where local radio station WKRM 103.7 FM broadcasted live on-site throughout the event. Community members, CPWS employees, and local community and business partners dropped by to enjoy fresh food, hand off donations, and rally behind local education.

"We are continually blown away by the generosity of our community," said a CPWS representative. "Starting a new school year can be a stressful time for many families, and no student should have to start Day One without the supplies they need to succeed. Thanks to everyone who donated, dropped off items and took home a lunch at our cookout, we’re able to lighten the load for both students and teachers this year.”