Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-29-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for July 29, 2026

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

House Fire (MauryCountySource)

A new house that was nearly complete was heavily damaged by a fire Saturday morning in the Bethel community of Maury County.

The Maury County Fire Department was dispatched to the home around 7:16 a.m. after workers arriving at the construction site reported seeing smoke coming from the structure.

When firefighters arrived, they found an active fire and initially attempted to attack the flames from inside the home. However, crews quickly pulled back after the floor began to give way as they checked conditions, forcing them to switch to a defensive attack from outside the building.

Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours working to bring the fire under control and complete overhaul operations.

The fire department also praised its tanker drivers, who kept water flowing to crews despite the home’s remote location about a mile off the main road and the challenging terrain leading to the scene.

Spring Hill Battery Fire (MauryCountySource)

Spring Hill firefighters responded Monday afternoon to a reported residential structure fire in the Wades Grove neighborhood. 

Station 4 crews arrived in under three minutes and found smoke coming from the garage. Investigators determined the fire was caused by a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that had gone into thermal runaway. The fire had already been extinguished before firefighters arrived.

The homeowner sustained minor injuries. Firefighters used positive pressure ventilation fans to clear smoke from the garage and the rest of the home, helping restore the residence to a safe condition.

“This incident serves as an important reminder that lithium-ion rechargeable batteries can pose a fire hazard if they become damaged, overheated, or experience a malfunction,” Spring Hill Fire Department wrote in a social media post. “If a battery begins to smoke, swell, or overheat, move away from it if it is safe to do so and call 911.”

Giles County Shooting (WKRN)

A suspect is in custody after a deadly shooting in Pulaski on Saturday, July 25.

Following an investigation by the Pulaski Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit, 40-year-old Cory Dwain Perry was taken into custody for the killing of 37-year-old Jeremy D’Juan Gardner.

Officers discovered Gardner with a gunshot wound on Culpepper Street after responding to reports of a shooting.

First responders performed CPR, but police said he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Perry was booked into the Giles County Jail and is being held without bond. He faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.

Detectives have yet to release a motive for the shooting, and police said more charges and arrests are possible.

The Giles County Sheriff’s Department and Giles County ambulance service assisted the PPD in this investigation.

Early Voting (MSM)

Early voting in Maury County-level elections will end this Saturday, Aug. 1. Voters can cast their 2026 ballots at the Maury County Election Commission Office located at 1207 Tradewinds Drive in Columbia, which will be open from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays.

For more Maury County election information, you can visit the Maury County Election Commission website at https://www.maurycounty-tn.gov/227/Election-Commission or govotetn.gov.

Animal Shelter Begins Expansion (MSM)

The expansion of the Maury County Animal Services shelter started last Tuesday with a ceremonial groundbreaking.

“I want to thank the commission and the mayor for believing in me and giving me the tools to do my job successfully,” said Animal Services Director Kim Raffauf. “If we all work together, we’re going to do better things for this community.”

The shelter’s expansion comes after months of advocacy and pressing need. Year-over-year animal intakes have risen sharply in recent years, as Raffauf has consistently reported to the county Health & Environment Committee, leading to the crowding of the kennels, the burnout of some volunteers, and the turning-away of many animals from the shelter.

“There is nothing worse than telling someone ‘We don’t have space, we can’t help you,’ because they’re so hopeless, they don’t know what to do,'” Raffauf said, “but now we’re going to have space to [help them].”

Among the thousands of animals that have passed through the Maury County Animal Shelter, many of them get adopted quickly, and a few have already left a mark on the world: one was adopted just two weeks ago by Trisha Yearwood, and one, a terrier-schnauzer mix named Sparrow, appeared briefly as comic relief in the 2025 Superman film.

“Just because they’re a stray in Maury County does not change what their future is gonna hold,” Raffauf said proudly. “This is a community-based organization, not a dumping ground for animals… These animals come to us in different circumstances, and we can’t change their past but we can change their future.”

The shelter was designed with the input of Shelter Planners of America and is expected to cost $9.5 million, with a Guaranteed Maximum Price of $10.6 million, and to be finished by spring 2027.

“You want to have [indoor-outdoor kennels], because… it’s much safer… for animal welfare,” said Brian Priddy of 906 Studio, which worked on the design of the facility. “[And] we won’t do something that in 10 or 15 years [will] be obsolete… The cheapest time to do something is right now. It’ll be twice as expensive in ten years and three times as expensive in fifteen years.”

The new additions will include 70 new kennels capable of holding up to 140 additional dogs, room for up to 60 more cats and kittens, a “sally port” out back for storage, a veterinary hospital, and an educational center where volunteers, who do most of the work to be done at the shelter, will be trained before they start working with the animals.

“They’re the secret sauce of this organization and they comfort the animals on a daily basis,” Raffauf said of her volunteers.

“That’s one of the things that Kim does so well, is she gets the volunteers in this community to come help,” said Jamie Spencer, the president of county owner-advocate Hewlett Spencer.

Spring Hill BOMA Advances Water, Park Initiatives (MSM)

The Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Alderman approved several resolutions at their July 20 meeting that

advance the city’s long-term plans for parks, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including the next step toward acquiring Jerry Erwin Park and moving forward with key utility projects.

Among the items approved was Resolution 26-227, authorizing Mayor Matt Fitterer to execute a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Maury County for the potential transfer of Jerry Erwin Park to the city.

The proposed transfer was first discussed during the board’s July 6 meeting. Approval of the resolution allows both parties to begin due diligence and negotiate the terms of a possible transfer.

The letter does not obligate either party to complete the transaction. Instead, it establishes the intent to evaluate the feasibility of the transfer while allowing the city to review property records, maintenance information, environmental studies and other documents as part of the due diligence.

The resolution passed unanimously.

The board also approved several utility-related items through the consent agenda, including moving forward with the final design of the city’s Advanced Purification Facility Pilot Project adopting additional design requirements for the decentralized wastewater systems using BioClere treatment technology.

The approval of the Basis of Design Report for the Advanced Purification Facility Pilot Project allows Spring Hill Water staff and the engineering team to proceed with the project’s final design.

The pilot project is a key component of the city’s long-term strategy to develop a sustainable, drought-resilient drinking water supply capable of supporting continued population growth.

According to city documents, the engineering team has completed the Basis of Design Report, which established the recommended treatment process, design criteria, major equipment and overall technical approach for the pilot facility. The report serves as the foundation for preparing the project’s final construction documents.

The board also approved Resolution 26-221, adopting additional design requirements for the city’s decentralized wastewater system that uses BioClere treatment technology.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation(TDEC) requires the city to adopt the additional standards as part of its approval of Spring Hill’s BioClere Standard Technical Specifications.

City officials said adopting the standards creates a consistent framework for future decentralized wastewater developments, improves long-term system reliability and satisfies TDEC requirements tied to the city’s BioClere specifications.

John Rose In Maury (WKOM Audio 4:14)

On Monday, Republican Candidate for Governor, John Rose was in Columbia stumping for his election. Front Porch Radio’s Delk Kennedy stopped by and got a chance to speak to Congressman Rose about his candidacy…

Maury County TCAP Results (Press Release)

Maury County Public Schools students have made significant gains in proficiency on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program exams, according to a Monday, July 27 news release.

The school district’s five-year data shows notable growth across several grade levels and subjects. Overall English Language Arts proficiency increased from 21% in 2021 to 35.6% in 2026, a 14.6% jump. Math proficiency rose from 17.8% to 33.5%, a 15.7% increase, and social studies proficiency climbed from 21.3% to 43.3%, a 22% gain.

Individual grade levels also saw substantial improvement. Seventh grade math proficiency increased 20.6%, from 12% in 2021 to 32.6% in 2026. Fifth grade math rose 20.3%, from 16.3% to 36.6%, and fourth grade math jumped 20%, from 31% to 51%.

English II proficiency increased 19.5%, from 30% in 2021 to 49.5% in 2026. Fourth grade English Language Arts rose 18.7%, from 27% to 45.7%, and sixth grade math increased 18.2%, from 15.7% to 33.9%.

The school district also recorded year-over-year improvement in 18 of 21 measures with comparable data from 2025 and 2026, according to the release. Overall math proficiency increased 3.3% to 33.5%, while overall social studies proficiency increased 3.5% to 43.3%.

Fourth grade math posted the largest year-over-year gain, increasing 9.2% to 51%. Other notable gains included seventh grade English Language Arts, which increased 3.7% to 29.8%; English II, which increased 3.4% to 49.5%; eighth grade math, which increased 3.4% to 29.7%; and fifth grade math, which increased 2.7% to 36.6%.

“We are encouraged by the growth and improvement our students have demonstrated over the past five years,” Maury County Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Ventura said in the announcement. “These results reflect the dedication and hard work of our students, teachers, school leaders, families and community.

“We have seen meaningful gains in multiple subject areas and across several grade levels, and we are proud of the progress our students are making.” she continued. “However, our work is not finished. We will continue to use data to identify areas of strength, provide targeted support where it is needed, and build on the momentum we have created to help every student reach their full potential.”

TCAP data for the 2025-26 school year is available on the Tennessee Department of Education’s website, www.tn.gov/education.

And now, news from around the state…

Urgent Call for Blood (WilliamsonHerald)

Blood supply has reached critically low levels, both locally and nationwide. Today.

To that end, the AABB Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism issued an urgent appeal for donors in coordination with blood organizations across the country.

Blood Assurance is an independent, nonprofit, community-based blood center that supplies blood products to hospitals across Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina. “We are also a member of America’s Blood Centers, a national network of community-based blood centers that collectively provide nearly 60% of the U.S. blood supply,” a spokesperson said through a release.

“We are feeling this shortage at the community level. Blood Assurance has operated with less than a two-day supply of several blood types for much of the summer, leaving little room to respond to increased hospital demand or a major emergency.”

It is rare to see a joint call for donors like this from AABB, America’s Blood Centers, and the American Red Cross, and below is a partial statement from the task.

“Following weeks of declines in blood donations, the blood supply in the United States is significantly lower than it should be and is trending downward at a concerning pace. The statement reads. “Blood centers throughout the country face the risk of not having blood available for every patient when it is needed. “The reduced supply is more pronounced in certain regions of the country and among certain blood collectors, which is already impacting the availability of blood for some patients. 

“To help rebuild the blood supply and ensure blood products are available for all patients, the AABB Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism is urging all eligible blood donors to make and keep an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible.”

Any help encouraging donations would be greatly appreciated. Right now, all donors at Blood Assurance will receive a $25 e-gift card.

Williamson County Mayor to Retire (WilliamsonHerald)

Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson's legacy extends far beyond handshakes and campaign appearances.

Public officials and residents alike describe the longtime mayor as a leader known for his integrity, compassion and willingness to help others. As Anderson prepares to retire Aug. 31, many have reflected on the impact he has made during nearly a quarter-century as county mayor.

Elected in 2002 after serving 16 years on the Williamson County Commission, Anderson helped oversee the revival of the Williamson County Fair in 2005, the relocation of Nissan North America to Franklin in 2006 and the opening of the county library, Williamson County Enrichment Center and Williamson County Animal Center, among other accomplishments.

Bringing cities together

Matt Largen, president and CEO of Williamson Inc., served as director of the county's Office of Economic Development under Anderson. He said the mayor's ability to connect with people left a lasting impression.

"He would know every single person," Largen said. "He's given a lot of himself to this community over the last 24 years."

Brentwood City Commissioner Kim Gawrys said Anderson earned a reputation as a collaborator, something her mother, former Brentwood Mayor Regina Smithson, often admired.

"My mom was always talking about what great work he was doing," Gawrys said. "Each city is all about Brentwood, all about Nolensville, all about Spring Hill, but the mayor brings the cities together."

Franklin Alderman Bev Burger said Anderson consistently recognized the contributions of others.

"He always recognizes not just elected officials, but people who give back to the community," Burger said. "You can't beat that."

Developing leaders

State Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, recalled Anderson's willingness to mentor others after Reeves became president of the Franklin Lions Club in 2023.

"He took more time than I thought he would to give me all of the information," Reeves said.

Nolensville Mayor Halie Gallik said Anderson made a similar impression when she joined the town's Board of Commissioners.

"He always takes the time to help others learn and grow," Gallik said. "He develops our leaders, and we work together to help Williamson County grow."

Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Hughes called Anderson's July 8 State of the County address "a bittersweet day" and reflected on Anderson's years serving alongside Hughes' father on the County Commission.

"He was so instrumental in all things Williamson County," Hughes said. "I got to see firsthand the passion he has for Williamson County."

'We wish you well'

During Anderson's July 8 State of the County address, state and local leaders offered tributes and well wishes.

In a prerecorded video message, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn called Anderson "the epitome of leaving things better than you found them."

"You have served the people of the county so well, and we wish you well as you enjoy your retirement," Blackburn said.

Former Gov. Bill Haslam, appearing as Anderson's self-described "ghost of Christmas future," praised the mayor's leadership.

"I don't know how many leaders I've seen not take advantage of their momentum and ruin what might have been a great thing," Haslam said. "You can believe what you believe and still get things done, and Exhibit A is Mayor Anderson."

Either Republican Andy Marshall or independent B.K. Muvvala will succeed Anderson following the Aug. 6 election.

Michael Kaplan, a Brentwood businessman and member of the city's 2040 Plan Advisory Committee, said Anderson's successor will have big shoes to fill.

"He's been such a stable force in keeping the county the way it is," Kaplan said. "I've always been able to pick his brain. I'm excited for Andy, but he'll have huge shoes to fill."

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Columbia has its first dedicated indoor pickleball facility. House of Courts celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Maury Alliance on July 14, 2026, bringing a climate-controlled, eight-court venue to 1173 Industrial Park Blvd in the heart of Middle Tennessee.

The facility features eight cushioned pickleball courts with customized LED uplighting designed for optimal ball tracking. Players can choose from open play sessions available several times daily, private court reservations, or organized leagues and tournaments. Professional instructors are also on hand for individual and group lessons.

House of Courts offers four membership tiers to fit different levels of commitment.

Players can download the Court Reserve app on iPhone or Android to sign up and book courts. The facility is located at 1173 Industrial Park Blvd, Columbia, TN 38401. Reach the team by phone at (931) 902-1222 or by email at info@houseofcourtstn.com.