Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-3-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for July 3, 2026

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

Fireworks Cause Fire (CDH)

Columbia Fire & Rescue responded to a fire Tuesday night that was caused by the improper disposal of fireworks.

With the Fourth of July approaching, the department is reminding residents to use fireworks safely to help prevent fires and injuries.

Firefighters recommend using fireworks only in open areas away from homes, vehicles, dry grass, and other combustible materials. They also urge people to keep children away from fireworks, have a water hose, bucket of water, or fire extinguisher nearby, avoid relighting fireworks that fail to ignite, and soak used fireworks in water before throwing them away.

The department also encourages residents to be mindful of neighbors, pets, veterans, and others who may be sensitive to loud noises, and says professional fireworks displays are the safest way to celebrate.

CPWS Getting FEMA Funds (MSM)

Columbia Power and Water is among those receiving FEMA funds related to recovery costs from Tropical Storm Helene.

FEMA has approved more than $34 million to fund 18 recovery projects in Tennessee communities. CPWS is set to receive $329,079 for repairs to utilities damaged by the severe winter storm.

FEMA is reimbursing these recovery costs at no less than a 75 percent federal cost share through its Public Assistance program, which provides funds for state and local governments’ response and recovery work.

Spring Hill Considers Commerce Park (MSM)

A proposed Atmos Energy office and a new roadway extension within the Spring Hill Commerce Center were among the development projects reviewed by the Spring Hill Planning Commission at their June 22 work session.

The proposed site plan for a new Atmos Energy office and warehouse facility that would bring a more than 55,000-square-foot building to John Lunn Road. The proposed 55,214 square-foot facility would include both office and warehouse space on approximately 10.52 acres zoned Light Industrial (l-1).

According to planning documents, the project would utilize an on-site sewer system under a previously approved memorandum of understanding. The site plan also includes two access points and frontage improvements along John Lunn Road, including widening the roadway five feet to accommodate a four-foot bicycle lane and a five-foot sidewalk.

The applicant last met with city staff on June 10, when several revisions were discussed. Staff recommended updating the sizes of proposed trees and shrubs to comply with city code, and the applicant agreed to make those changes.

Planning Commissioners also discussed roadway connectivity and additional site improvements during the meeting. Before the proposal can be placed on the consent agenda, the applicant must address the remaining staff recommendations.

A request, submitted by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, LLC, seeks preliminary plat approval for a new public road extending north of the existing realignment of Jim Warren Road within Phase 1, Lot 2 of the Spring Hill Commerce Center.

The approximate 500-acre planned development sits east of I-65 and south of Jim Warren Road, sitting between Maury County and Williamson County.

The site was rezoned to Planned Development with a base zone of General Industrial (I-2) in January 2023. After the rezoning, the site has undergone several improvements and amendments, such as a preliminary plat for infrastructure, modifications to development conditions and a one-year extension of its vesting period through January 2027.

The proposed right-of-way would be about 109 feet wide, exceeding the city’s minimum width

requirements.

In its review, staff noted an issue that the plans do not show how adjoining lots would be reconfigured or graded after the roadway extension. During the meeting, the applicant acknowledged the recommendations and plans to change before the voting meeting.

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.

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, and the Treaty of Guadalupe 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."

Blood Donors Needed (Press Release)

Local hospitals are using blood faster than donations are coming in. That’s why Blood Assurance is offering $40 e-gift cards to all donors who give between June 29 and July 7.

The call for donors comes as the July Fourth holiday approaches, a time when hospitals must be ready for trauma patients while blood donations are often slow because of travel, vacations and holiday plans.

Blood Assurance needs donors of all blood types. The nonprofit has had several recent days with less than a one-day supply of blood, platelets and plasma. A two- to three-day supply is needed to more comfortably meet the needs of local hospitals and patients. Blood Assurance is the primary supplier for most of the hospitals in Middle Tennessee, so donations help local patients.

Donors will be able to choose their e-gift card from a list of participating retailers, including gas stations and grocery stores.

Eligible type O donors can earn even more through Blood Assurance’s Hero Club, including a $50 gift card for double red cell donations. That means O donors could receive up to $90 for one double red cell donation during the June 29-July 7 promotion.

O-negative blood can be used for emergency transfusions when there is no time to determine a patient’s blood type, and O-positive blood is the most common blood type and is heavily used by hospitals. Donors must sign up for the Hero Club at bloodassurance.org/blood-donation-education/types-of-donations/hero-club/.

After July 7, donors will receive a $25 e-gift card for donating.

Donors can schedule an appointment at bloodassurance.org, call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777.

(Mayoral Forum (Press Release)

Join Maury Alliance on July 9th at 5:30pm to hear from the two Maury County Mayoral candidates: Sheila Butt and Gabe Howard. This moderated Q&A session with the candidates will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about each candidate and their vision for the future of Maury County. If you would like to submit a question for consideration, please send them to Alyssa at atate@mauryalliance.com. This event is open to the public and free to attend!

Doors open at 5pm, and the program will begin promptly at 5:30pm.

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…

TSLA Unveils Updated 250th Website (Press Release)

The Tennessee State Library & Archives has unveiled an upgraded website – Patriot Paths: Mapping Tennessee’s American Revolution Pension Applications. Patriot Paths is an interactive digital resource developed by the Tennessee State Library & Archives (TSLA) to trace the journeys of Revolutionary War veterans who migrated to Tennessee after the war.

Using geographic information drawn from Revolutionary War pension applications submitted between 1818 and 1836, the site maps the migration patterns of more than 2,200 veterans who later settled in Tennessee. These records often contain detailed personal accounts from veterans describing their military service, places of residence, and the routes they traveled as they moved westward following the war.

By combining these historical records with modern geographic information systems (GIS) technology, Patriot Paths visually reconstructs the movement of these veterans from the communities they left behind in the original colonies and other early American settlements to the places where they eventually established new lives on Tennessee’s frontier.

Locations featured in the project were extracted from pension application files housed at the National Archives and supplemented with information from other historical sources. The resulting interactive maps allow users to explore how Revolutionary War veterans moved across the early United States and contributed to the settlement and development of Tennessee.

“Patriot Paths offers Tennesseans a powerful way to explore our state’s Revolutionary War history,” said Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “As our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this project helps illuminate the lives of the men who fought for independence and later helped build communities across Tennessee.”

The site builds upon the original Patriot Paths website that was made available in 2019. The updated version incorporates a modern platform with improved navigation, enhanced research tools, including a brand-new story map illustrating one patriot’s journey, and full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), making the site more accessible and user-friendly for researchers, educators, and the public.

The project was developed through a collaboration between the Tennessee State Library & Archives, the State of Tennessee’s Geographic Information Systems Services, and a grant made possible through the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The updated site includes several new user-friendly features designed to help researchers better visualize migration patterns and explore the historical context surrounding these veterans’ lives.

Patriot Paths also supports Tennessee’s broader efforts to commemorate the upcoming America250 anniversary, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

To explore the updated Patriot Paths resource and learn more about the veterans who helped shape Tennessee’s early history, visit Patriot Paths at www.experience.arcgis.com/experience.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Country artist Thomas Rhett will be inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame on July 8th at 1p.

The induction ceremony takes place just one day before he brings his The Soundtrack of Life Tour to GEODIS Park on July 9 with longtime friend Niall Horan. The ceremony will recognize the 113th star on the Music City Walk of Fame. 

Members of the public are invited to view the ceremony.

Created in 2006, the Music City Walk of Fame is located on Nashville’s Music Mile, a roughly one- mile stretch that connects downtown to Music Row. Permanent sidewalk medallions with the names of inductees are displayed in a star design.

Learn more at www.visitmusiccity.com.