Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-29-25

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for July 29, 2025

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

We start with local news…

Spring Hill Shooting (MauryCountySource)

Emergency crews responded Monday to a shooting at Worthington Glen Apartments in Spring Hill, where two adults were found with gunshot wounds.

According to the Spring Hill Police Department, the initial investigation suggests the individuals shot each other. Authorities confirmed that this was not an active shooter situation, and there was no ongoing threat to the public.

Both individuals were transported for medical treatment. Police have not released additional details as the investigation continues.

County Touts Economic Growth (MSM)

The Maury County Commission received a report showing positive quarterly economic growth indicators at its recent monthly meeting.

Travis Groth, the vice president of Maury Alliance, recapped the most promising numbers from his organization’s most recent quarterly report on local economic conditions. Some of the most flattering Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Maury County include:

• Median household income rose 36.7% in the last five years;

• Retail sales are up 85.3% over the last 10 years;

• Civilian labor force growth since 2020 was four times greater than the national average;

• Maury County outperformed Nashville and the state (by percentage) in the following metrics: population growth, increase in average annual income, increase in median household income, real GDP growth, and civilian labor force growth.

One of the most recent investors is Xxentria, a Taiwanese manufacturer of truck and trailer panels, whose new factory in Cherry Glen is expected to create 85 jobs and add $45 million in capital investment to Maury County. Xxentria also made a generous donation of $10,000 to Mt. Pleasant Elementary School.

General Motors and Ultium Cells will also scale up production by 2027, with GM planning to build the gas-powered Chevy Blazer in the Spring Hill factory. Maury Alliance even greeted Shinji Watanabe, the Japanese Consul-General in Nashville, when he visited the Japanese-owned local businesses Pernovo and Fuel Total Systems.

Travis Groth explained that the 8 percent vacancy rate for industrial property is a transitional number, between recent near-zero and expected future growth.

“A lot of speculative product came online at the same time,” he said. “[What’s empty] is being absorbed very quickly.”

County Mayor Sheila Butt praised Maury Alliance for listening the county’s requests over the years to bring in well-remunerated employment that wouldn’t burden infrastructure and services. Commissioner Gabe Howard, however, asked whether the statistical increase in household income was actually benefiting locals.

“My guess is that’s not actually Maury Countians increasing in salary,” he said, “that’s someone in Williamson County moving to Maury County.”

Groth replied that the data indicates both, but didn’t break down how much each contributed to the change.

Stewart Parker of the Industrial Development Board of Maury County indicated that locals’ improved job options are a big part of the increase. He pointed to “Project Mustang,” soon to come online, which offers an average salary of $80,000, and to the promise of high car-manufacturing wages which he said was finally being realized at Ultium and General Motors.

Parker also notified the commission that the county would have to clean up a small diesel-contaminated “brownfield” site (measuring 15’x30′) discovered at the Innovation Campus. TDEC quoted the Maury County IDB $212,000 for the full clean-up, which they negotiated down $50,000 for a less thorough job.

“We want the Chevrolet price, not the Cadillac price,” Parker told the commissioners, indicating, however, that some kind of remediation has to happen. It was noted that abandoning the contaminated plot would condemn the whole 330-acre Innovation Campus to the same “brownfield” designation.

Commission Chairman Kevin Markham asked if the county would make back the price of the clean-up in the sale of the Campus, which Parker confirmed.

County Votes Down Social Media Gag Rule (MSM)

The Maury County Commission did not bring to a vote last week a proposed rule to stop commissioners from using social media to make negative comments about each other.

Rule 8.3 would prohibit commissioners from making inflammatory comments on social media. The rule was drafted in response to a running online argument over the budgeting process, between county Commissioners Gabe Howard and Eric Previti.

“Commissioners should refrain from specifying any one commissioner’s comments or actions in a negative light,” read the central text of the rule, “and should maintain professional conduct when making comments regarding county business.”

“[We’re] just trying to document something that is expected of people: to not attack another commissioner, and treat each other with decorum,” said Commissioner Kathey Grodi.

Most commissioners preferred to enforce decorum by shame instead of formal censure, and more than two-thirds of them voted to strike the rule from the agenda. Commissioner Scott Sumners had voted for the rule to progress past his Admin Committee, but after thinking it over, he changed his mind and introduced the motion to remove it.

“This is common-sense, to me, and I don’t know that we need to be putting this in our rules… We can police ourselves… We’re all adults,” he said. “[And] all of our [other] rules are about when we come together and meet, not how we conduct ourselves… outside of this meeting.”

“If we had… and used common sense, [we] would’ve never brought it up,” replied Commission Chair Kevin Markham. “[But] we tend to not use common sense.”

County Attorney Daniel Murphy pointed out that as it’s written, the rule doesn’t have “teeth” with which to penalize out-of-order commissioners, and that greater decorum would help the county’s public image. Murphy raised the possibility that other municipalities and counties, which are competing with Maury County for outside investment, might show investors the unflattering social media posts or filmed behavior of Maury County officials, to make the county look “bad for business.”

“Our competitors in the industrial world… [are] looking at our commission, how you act. They’ll pull clips out of context and use them against you,” he warned the commissioners.

“The one word that covers all of [decorum] is ‘germane’… If you’re attacking somebody’s character, that is not germane to the topic [in a meeting],” said Commissioner Gwynne Evans , who claimed to have studied parliamentary procedure since 1975. “I have yet to see a motion that says, ‘Commissioner So-and-So is an idiot, let’s discuss it.'”

He opposed instituting a rule, since he could find no precedent in Robert’s Rules of Order for regulating personal conduct outside of meetings, but Evans found it “sad” that it was even on the table.

County Mayor Sheila Butt warned the commissioners that in the last two or three years alone, she had seen the quality of discourse deteriorate badly in the state General Assembly, and she didn’t want to see the same happen in Maury County. She also warned that public disputes opened the commission to further ridicule, especially by social-media users, who already confidently disparage elected officials and repeat or invent narratives that aren’t based on facts.

“Every one of us should be able to [talk to] another person… but take it off of Facebook. You [all] know how many times you look at [social media], and [see] people talking about things they have no clue about!” she said. “Let’s be professional and let’s be colleagues, who care about Maury County more than we care about [advertising] our own opinion.”

Chickens Hot Topic in SH (CDH)

The number of hens that can be housed on a property has become a top issue of discussion with the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Some citizens are opposing a proposed amendment to the city's current code that would allow more than four hens to be housed on properties. The BOMA voted to defer the item until August after citizens expressed concern during a public hearing.

Neighbors in Hunter's Pointe say they oppose the ordinance that could potentially allow dozens of chickens, far exceeding the current limit of four, which could disrupt some neighborhoods.

Spring Hill resident Jean Tamburello, who lives in Hunter's Pointe, shared her concerns about the potential increase in the number of chickens in subdivisions like hers that back up to larger lots.

"We are a little confused by this amendment," Tamburello said during a public hearing July 21. "The one thing we are concerned about is the idea of having more chickens on property."

At her less-than-a-half acre residence, which abuts to a larger property with chickens, the new ordinance would allow even more. Tamburello said she also has concerns about the current code being followed with chickens on nearby properties.

She and other neighbors like Carolyn Noel have seen loose chickens on their properties, Tamburello said.

"The chickens are loose, are free range and coming into our yard," she said. "They are digging under my fence ... I don't understand why [the current code] is not being enforced. It's not supposed to be free range."

Tamburello concluded her comments stating that her concerns aren't just with how many chickens will be allowed, but how it could create a potential snowball effect.

"I don't have a problem with chickens, but I have a problem with a lot of chickens that are going to smell."

Tamburello cited that the city of Brentwood's ordinance only allows chickens only on properties with three or more acres.

"We don't want more chickens around us," she said. "Where we are, and where our properties are abutting to these other properties, if all of these people decided, within an acre, to get more chickens, we are talking about 27 chickens on each property ... and the smell is very bad.

"We are hoping for some happy medium here," she said.

She said it's hard to currently have "use and enjoyment" on their property.

Noel reiterated the same concerns.

"From what I understand in reading [the amendment], the purpose for this was to allow people to enjoy Spring Hill," Noel said, who also said she's worried about the enforcement of the current code due to some properties potentially exceeding the amount.

Spring Hill's current ordinance states that no more than four hens are allowed per household regardless of property size and that "no person shall keep any animal or fowl" within 1,000 feet of any residence, place of business or public street without a permit from the "health officer."

The proposed amendment would adjust the number of hens allowed to one per 1,500 square feet of an outdoor lot area with permits issued by the Development Services Director, but with no maximum limit.

Some members of the BOMA said the ordinance needs more clarification before a vote could be cast.

Spring Hill Development Services Director Dara Sanders suggested to include a set of performance standards, which could be presented to the BOMA at its next meeting.

"We would be happy to do that and wouldn't be the first city to adopt such performance standards for compatibility purposes," Sanders said. "There are a lot of options here, and not just 'yes' and 'no.' There is a lot of in-between."

Sanders that she had never seen a "massive influx of hen permits" and that "28 is a lot of darn chickens," responding to Tamburello.

Alderman Jaimee Davis said having a clear set of performances standards would be beneficial.

"A lot of our neighborhoods are governed by HOAs, and HOAs are not going to allow that anyway," Davis said. "That is going to be another thing to take into consideration when we are looking at this."

Alderman Scott Wernert agreed, saying more information would be needed prior to any BOMA approval.

"We need more specificity to it to narrow that in," Wernert said. "It needs to be more specific on what we are going to agree on."

Davis later motioned the item be deferred and brought back at the BOMA's Aug. 18 meeting, which Wernert seconded.

Rose Hill Cemetery Gets Historic Marker (MauryCountySource)

The City of Columbia was honored to join the Rose Hill Cemetery Association, county officials, and members of the community for the unveiling of a State of Tennessee historical marker at Rose Hill Cemetery. This event celebrated one of the City of Columbia’s most treasured historic sites.

Founded in 1853 on land sold by then-Mayor Meredith Helm, Rose Hill replaced Greenwood as Columbia’s city cemetery. Designed during the “garden cemetery” movement, Rose Hill is renowned for its peaceful landscape—featuring flowering trees, evergreens, and many beautifully carved monuments.

The cemetery is the final resting place for soldiers, statesmen, and many notable figures, along with countless individuals whose lives helped shape the City of Columbia.

The unveiling served as a tribute to Rose Hill’s enduring significance and to those who came before.

Maury Alliance Annual Picnic and Elected Officials Guide (Press Release)

Join Maury Alliance for an Appreciation BBQ Picnic: To celebrate and show appreciation for the time and effort our elected officials dedicate to making Maury County the best place to live and work, the public is invited to a free BBQ picnic at the Woodland Park Rotary Shelter on Thursday, August 21st. The event is free to attend, but please RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount for catering! 

Also, the updated Elected Officials Guide is now available. The guide is a valuable resource to help you stay connected with the local, state, and federal leaders representing Maury County. Whether you’re a resident, business owner, or community advocate, this guide makes it easy to stay informed and engaged with those shaping our community’s future.

Learn more about both the Appriciation Picnic and Elected Officials Guide by visiting www.mauryalliance.com.

Hightower Gives Back (MCM)

As he returned home – following a one-year stint as an a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff, with whom he had played the entirety of his 10-year professional football career, winning three Super Bowls, after a stellar four years at the University of Alabama – one of Dont’a Hightower’s priorities was to make an impact in his new, old community.

The former Marshall County High School star, who has established his own charitable foundation, began by hosting a recent function with the Spring Hill Lions Club.

“Today was really good to be able to get out here and work with the youth,” Hightower said following a July 21 event at Evans Park, where he chatted – and took part in some physical activities – with a number of youngsters.

“We’ve been back a couple of months, still working on moving into the house. But this is something that was important to us, to me, to our family, to be able to operate and work out in the community. Why not get started now? It’s really good for us to get this done.”

Hightower, his wife, Morgan, and their two children have taken up residence in Thompsons Station in the aftermath of the Patriots’ coaching change that saw Jerod Mayo replaced by longtime Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel – like Mayo and Hightower, a former New England linebacker as well.

But continuing the off-field work he’d been doing in that area was important.

“We’d started in the ‘single-parent’ module when we were up in Massachusetts. Getting back down here, it’s just more about being able to help those in need right now,” said Hightower, who grew up in a single-mother household in Lewisburg. “Originally I did a lot of work with the American Diabetes Association when I was playing in New England. This past year, I was coaching and took on the initiative of single-parent homes.

“I was doing a lot of work up there in Massachusetts, working with different agencies. That was great and that was awesome, but just getting back down here and being able to help the community – that’s one thing that works really well with me, is just being able to help.”

As Hightower regains his footing in the Midstate area, increasing his platform is an objective.

“He’s wanting to create a mentoring program. One of the things he wants to do is continue to lean on staying physically fit and keeping these kids in a situation where they’ll have the ability to meet him and ask questions,” said Carrie Crocker, programming director for the Dont’a HIghtower Foundation. 

“We’ve also been in talks with the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee. We’re working through what that would look like. But we’d like to stay really close to home, to these families as well.”

The Dont’a Hightower Foundation inspires and nurtures young talent, fostering leadership, teamwork, discipline and resilience both on and off the field. Through mentorship, skill development and community development, they aim to create a positive impact in the lives of youth, helping them build confidence and a strong foundation for future success in sports and life. For more information visit the dontehightowerfoundation on facebook.

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

Peggie Anne Wallace England, 80, resident of Columbia, died Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at her residence.

A memorial service will be held Friday, August 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM at The Church at West End.

James Wiley Reedy, 87, retired millwright for Occidental and resident of Columbia, died Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Wednesday, July 30, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. 

Now, news from around the state…

Man Arrested for Stealing Millions of Jones’ Widow (Tennessean)

Franklin police arrested a man accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from the widow of county singer George Jones.

Kirk West, 58, of Franklin, was charged with theft over $250,000 and booked into Williamson County Court on July 24 with a bail of $1 million.

According to police, West stole from his ex-girlfriend Nancy Jones.

Less than 24 hours after starting the investigation, the Franklin Police Department arrested West at Nashville International Airport. 

In a 2016 federal case, West pleaded guilty to bank fraud. He was sentenced to three years of supervised release, including a year of house arrest. He was also ordered to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution.

George Jones died in 2013 at age 81 from respiratory failure. He and Nancy married in 1983. On June 3, 2025, she was present at the unveiling of his statue on the Ryman’s Icon Walk. When asked about what she wanted tourists to take from seeing his statue, she said, “I don't want anyone to forget him and the fantastic music he released."

West is due in Williamson County Court at 9:10 a.m. July 29.

Gas Prices (MSM)

The Tennessee Gas Price average is $2.77 holding fairly steady at just one cent more than this time last week. None of the metro city averages moved more than three cents over the last week.

The Tennessee average is two cents less than a month ago and 29 cents less than a year ago.

“Tennessee gas prices are holding steady for anyone planning a last minute road trip before school begins,” said Stephanie Milani, spokesperson for AAA — The Auto Club Group. “As parents look toward the start of another school year, prices will likely fluctuate little through the end of summer barring any crude oil price swings.” 

Tennessee is currently the sixth least expensive state in the nation.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Get ready for the 2025 Maury County Recovery Fest, which will take place on September 20th from 2-6 pm at Riverwalk Park (102 Riverside Dr, Columbia, TN 38401)!

If you are interested in attending, please mark your calendars so you don’t miss this awesome day of celebrating recovery with music, food, games, inspiring testimonies, and fun for the whole family!

If you are interested in being a vendor or a sponsor at the 2025 Maury County Recovery Fest, please fill out the Sponsor & Vendor Sign Up form on the MCPC website www.mauryprevention.org/recovery-fest-2025.

More information on the Maury County Recovery Fest facebook page.