Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-31-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for July 31, 2026

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

Worker Falls into Septic Tank (MSM)

A subcontractor fell 20 feet to the bottom of a septic tank at Santa Fe Unit School on June 23, prompting a technical rope rescue by the Maury County Fire Department that ended with the worker being airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The MCFD was dispatched that morning after reports of a serious injury at the school. The first arriving rescue unit found the subcontractor — who had been working to install a new underground tank as part of the school’s septic system — at the bottom of the concrete vault. Rescuers upgraded the call to a technical rescue, summoning additional rope-trained personnel and MCFD Truck 21 to the scene. Two MCFD firefighters and a Maury Regional EMS paramedic entered the vault to provide patient care.

The ladder truck was maneuvered into position to establish an aerial high point. Crew members rigged a rope system and lowered a stokes basket to rescuers in the hole. The patient was secured in the basket, raised out of the vault and transferred to Maury EMS and Vanderbilt LifeFlight personnel before being airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

“Special thanks to Columbia Power and Water for a prompt response to shut down overhead power lines in the event our aerial had to maneuver close to them,” said Deputy Chief Richey Schatz. “We would like to credit the hard work of our Special Operations Division over the past several years, who continuously provide training to our members to ensure they are prepared for responses such as this.”

Over the weekend, Maury County Fire & Rescue also responded to a fatal motorcycle crash on Campbellsville Pike and a bull attack on Luke Moser Road that required a life-flight for the victim.

“We respond to a wide variety of emergencies, and our members have to be competent in all of them,” said Schatz. “Although a major portion of our responses are fires, motor vehicle accidents and medical emergencies, we also provide technical rescue services that include high-angle rope rescue, swift water rescue, confined space and structural collapse. We are blessed to have several personnel across our organization who are experts in various rescue disciplines and are able to provide a high level of service to the citizens of Maury County.”

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.

City to Rebrand (MSM)

The City of Columbia and a consulting firm launched a discovery campaign last week in the hope of finding and refining its “brand.”

The Franklin-based municipal-branding firm Chandlerthinks, which has worked with about 135 towns and cities in the last nine years, sent its personnel down to Columbia for the first rounds of branding sessions. Selected groups of citizen “stakeholders” were invited first to give their opinions of what the city’s brand is. A public-information session was also held on Tuesday night to explain the process and its goals to the public.

Steve Chandler, the founder of Chandlerthinks, explained that the city’s “brand” includes far more than its logo or what the logo portrays. To make this point, he asked people to consider the city’s current logo: though it’s well-drawn and shows several things that have helped make the city famous — specifically, a mule, President James K. Polk and the old county courthouse — it doesn’t capture popular or firsthand impressions of the city, and by itself it doesn’t drive investment, tourism, relocation or the other phenomena that are the lifeblood of Columbia.

“A logo has a job to do, but it’s not to sell by itself,” Chandler said. “No one ever said, ‘Hey honey, we’ve got to go visit this place. Check out their logo!'”

Instead, a city’s full “brand” is made up of much more emotionally potent ideas: its history, neighborhoods, schools, public spaces, social fabric and culture, service businesses and industries, major assets and their use, and the city’s reputation, good or bad — not only among residents, but also surrounding communities, their governments, and people far away.

“Municipal branding’s got a more difficult task than any branding I’ve ever seen… Unlike any business I can think of, a municipality is also a place. And that is why you showed up,” Chandler told the attendees at the branding information session. “[A municipality’s] story is important and people take great pride in it… This process is built to understand that [story].”

The brand, Chandler and his team made clear, is inseparable from Columbia’s history and present. Rather than throw away what’s made people want to live here, the city must hold onto those qualities and even put in the work to improve them, in order to grow in a sustainable and attractive way.

“Preservation is as much about branding as promotion… Let’s make sure we don’t lose the character that’s important to us,” he said. “The richer the story, the better the reputation is of a city.”

The brand can also lead, directly or not, to city policy. When ChandlerThinks first studied Columbia’s branding a decade ago, it recommended several policy decisions that have become embedded in the new Columbia and its publicity, from the creation of a tourism department to the addition of the word “President” to all the historical markers of sites associated with James K. Polk. Brand-discovery work led the city to intentionally reinforce parts of its identity and activate its under-used potential, which ten years later have now become some of the most important parts of its self-presentation.

“We want to hold onto the identity that we have… [during] the transition period,” said Hanna Miller, the city’s public information officer. “It’s important to put that on paper… [so] everyone in the city knows what that is.”

To start piecing together the brand that exists in people’s minds, ChandlerThinks are now canvassing for the opinions of Columbia residents. Sometime in the next few weeks, the city will release a survey to the public to get their thoughts on the city’s brand, at which time Main Street Maury will publish the link to the survey. Residents are urged to take it in order to help steer Columbia’s branding and development in the directions they want.

“The purpose of all this research, is that the branding and position is created by the people that live and work here,” said a ChandlerThinks consultant. “It has to be authentic, or else… it would fall flat… The story has to come from you.”

Local Jerky Company Gaining Traction (MSM)

A family recipe once shared among friends and neighbors has grown into a fast-rising Tennessee business. What began with homemade beef jerky crafted by his grandfather has become Jerky Boys, a Spring-Hill based company that has expanded from farmers markets to retail shelves and attracted NASCAR Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a co-owner.

For founder Christian Koch, the company’s success is about more than growing a business. It’s about preserving a family tradition while introducing his grandfather’s recipe to customers around the country.

Growing up, Koch looked forward to his grandfather’s homemade beef jerky. He remembers bringing it to friends and neighbors, who all agreed it was the best jerky they had ever had. Those memories eventually inspired him to turn a family favorite into a business.

In 2023, Koch launched Jerky Boys in Spring Hill with the goal of sharing the recipe that had been part of his family for some time. Starting the company, however, was far from simple.

Before Jerky Boys could begin production, Koch had to navigate the lengthy process of becoming a USDA-Inspected manufacturer despite having no prior experience. A musician by trade, Koch found himself learning an entirely new profession.

“It took me 15 months to get certified,” stated Koch. “One of the biggest challenges was learning regulations and laws. I just started calling people from the USDA to ask questions on how to go about it.”

With the help from his family, Jerky Boys quickly gained momentum, selling out farmers markets at the start. One of the company’s biggest milestones came when NASCAR Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the business as a partner and co-owner in 2025.

The connection was years in the making. Koch’s older brother built a relationship with their entrepreneurial ventures. Earnhardt partnered with Koch’s brother for his company, Filter Time, alongside Jerky Boys.

According to Koch, Earnhardt has brought more than name recognition. He shares that Earnhardt is an amazing mentor and businessman, adding that his involvement has helped increase the company’s growth.

Today, Christian and his younger brother Carson continue making and packaging Jerky Boys products in-house everyday, while their parents also play an active role in supporting the business.

Despite the rapid growth, Koch says the company’s greatest strength has been the unwavering support of the local community.

As Jerky Boys look toward the future, Koch hopes to place his family’s recipe on even more shelves while staying true to the tradition that started it all.

ROSS Program Helps Families (MSM)

The Columbia Housing & Redevelopment Corporation has been hard at work helping to get people housed, employed and financially stable. Integral to their work is the Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) program, newly endowed with a $273,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The ROSS program’s job, said Resident Services Coordinator Dona Anderson, is to educate people about how to get benefits and employment, make them job-ready and healthy, and get them involved in their communities.

“A lot of people need housing, but there’s more that they need,” said Dr. Trent Ogilvie, the president of the Housing & Redevelopment Corporation. “I call them the wraparound services that go into them being able to stay within their housing and have a good quality of life. Those are the resources that we bring to people.”

ROSS has had many government agencies, churches and nonprofits as its partners in this work. The American Job Center meets monthly with its beneficiaries to help them find employment at a range of places, get onto unemployment and supplementary benefits, and improve their resumes or interview skills. The University of Tennessee Extension Office once sent someone to teach ROSS clients how to make healthy budget meals with a few ingredients.

Among their nonprofit partners, Sleep in Heavenly Peace has built and donated beds with bedding to children who would otherwise sleep on the floor; the Beta Rho chapter of the teachers’ fraternity Delta Kappa Gamma solicits and donates different types of living supplies each month; and the Retired Teachers’ Association regularly raises money at its meetings to pay families’ housing deposits, late rent and utility bills. Certain banks have sent their employees in to teach financial-literacy classes too.

Some of the most generous and hands-on helpers are local churches. The Graymere Church of Christ’s “Into the City” program has bused inner-city kids to its Vacation Bible School every summer for almost a decade and paid bills via its “Benevolence” program. The Carmack Boulevard Church of Christ regularly takes kids from the Creekside neighborhood to a science museum free of charge. And Destiny Church throws regular parties for the Northside neighborhood.

Individual donors have also done a great deal for Housing & Redevelopment clients. On top of donations throughout the year, the community has always given school supplies to the Corporation’s annual “Back-to-School Bash,” and they raised $25,000 for the “Grace for the Gap” drive at Christmas 2025, to fund an unusually high volume of applications for rent relief around that time.

“We don’t want nobody to be put out of their home for the holidays,” Anderson said.

“We have letters from a lot of those residents, who wrote their story about how [Grace for the Gap] helped them during that time,” agreed Ogilvie.

Ogilvie explained that community support is integral to good outcomes for both adults and children.

“I find that it’s during those critical times that things can quickly go off the rails. If you lose the house, then you’re upset and then there’s a domestic issue, and then the kid acts out in his behavior at school, and then it just starts snowballing,” he said. “But if you can maintain your house and your sanity, have people around you that you know care, then that shows the kids that there’s a community who cares about you… And that does a lot for the young people, to see a community support them and embrace them… That’s why the ROSS program is so important… they know they can call somebody, send somebody a text that says ‘I need help.'”

Anderson testified that laying this sort of groundwork really does build up successful lives for the ROSS program’s clients.

“People became homeowners out of working with us, budgeting, getting the right tools. It can be a big success story,” she said. “Columbia Housing is a good place to [start], but it’s really a steppingstone… [When] a lot of people started here, they didn’t have any income, and now they’re RNs and have [other] good professions. That’s what you want… it makes you feel good when you see that.”

Eagle Scouts Leave Mark on Spring Hill (MSM)

When it comes to serving the community, two Eagle Scouts are leaving a lasting mark on Spring Hill’s parks.

Eagle Scouts Rudra Tank and Kavan Desai, both members of Troop 137, recently completed their Eagle Scout projects that will benefit visitors at Fischer Park and Evans Park for years to come.

Tank designed and installed two large community message boards, one at Fischer Park and another at Evans Park, after noticing a need for better communication with park visitors.

The idea came while he was spending time at Fischer Park with friends. A frequent visitor to the park, Tank realized there was no central location where residents could find information about park events or announcements. He worked closely with city staff to develop the project and bring it to completion.

With assistance from city staff, fellow scouts, his parents and project supervisors, Tank completed the message boards over three days, beginning June 24 and finishing June 27.

Desai’s Eagle Scout project focused on improving the overlook at Fischer Park by designing, building and installing new benches for visitors.

According to city officials, Desai presented a detailed project plan, including the tools and equipment he would use, to the Parks and Recreation Board before beginning construction.

During its meeting, the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Alderman thanked both scouts for their dedication and commitment to serving the community, praising them for setting a positive example through their volunteer work.

Funding for both projects came from the commissioner’s designated funds. The board unanimously approved resolutions supporting each project.

Columbia State Gallery To Open New Exhibit (Press Release)

 The Columbia State Community College Pryor Art Gallery will soon host a new exhibit titled "We Contain Multitudes," beginning in early August.

Contemporary Collective is a Nashville-based group of abstract artists who formed in 2012. Pryor Art Gallery Curator Tori Zemer, who was already familiar with the work of several of the Collective's artists, welcomed the opportunity to host the exhibition after connecting with group member and local artist Kim Sanderson.

Though the pieces shown in the gallery are by separate artists, when viewed as a whole, the works of the Contemporary Collective reveal the multitudes within each artist and convey a range of human experiences and expressions. 

Artists include:

•    Carol Williams, Nashville

•    Donna J. Wisener, Columbia

•    Erin Johnson, Murfreesboro

•    Gail Blane, Hopkinsville (KY)

•    Ginger Oglesby, Nashville

•    Karen Johnston, Nashville

•    Kim Sanderson, Columbia

•    Linda Butler, Brentwood

•    Lisa McLaughlin, Nashville

•    Mary Miller Veazie, Murfreesboro

•    Mildred Jarrett, Nashville

•    Pam Austin, Franklin

•    Patty Burks, Murfreesboro

“We represent a variety of ages, styles, approaches and motivations for painting,” said Karen Johnston, president of the Contemporary Collective. “Our paintings are not representations of what we see but rather living descriptions of what we feel. Through color, texture, energy and skill, our thoughts and emotions are intuitively transferred onto canvas. The painted results capture the essence of what cannot be touched by words. Alone, each piece is an independent work of art. Displayed together, our collection of paintings invigorates the viewer with an excitement for difference. The Contemporary Collective offers an expanse of original experiences rooted in creative, personal expression.”

The exhibit’s opening on Wednesday, Aug. 3 marks the first exhibit for the 2026-2027 season.

“This exhibition is a jewel box of abstract art,” said Tori Zemer, Columbia State Pryor Art Gallery curator. “It is full of big paintings, and there is so much passion, energy and color. Each piece on its own is beautiful, but as a whole, these works are breathtaking.”

An official opening reception for the exhibit will be held on August 5 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The exhibit is open through September 2. 

The Pryor Art Gallery is in the Waymon L. Hickman Building on the Columbia Campus, located at 1665 Hampshire Pike, and is open Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information about the Pryor Art Gallery and upcoming exhibitions, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/PryorGallery or Facebook at ColumbiaStatePAG. 

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

Herbert Daniel “Danny” Slaughter, 61, a resident of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

And now, news from around the state…

Trump Stumps for Ogles (TNLookout)

President Donald Trump delivered a short pitch for the reelection of U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles during a “tele-rally” Tuesday night as early voting winds down for the midterm election primary.

Ogles’ race against 5th-generation farmer and former Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher tightened in recent weeks. Betting market odds show Ogles’ lead dropping by 24% since Tennessee lawmakers redrew the state’s congressional districts in May, and the better-funded Hatcher received an additional advertising boost from an independent political action committee this month.

The “tele-rally” was organized by the Freedom Caucus Fund, a political action committee that has paid nearly $663,000 for ads supporting Ogles or opposing Hatcher since the redrawn district lines took effect on May 15. The Freedom Caucus Fund and Ogles for Congress split the cost of the tele-rally. The fund’s website states the PAC “directly supports the best conservative House candidates in America.”

“I’m asking all of you to get out and vote for Andy Ogles. He’s been a friend of mine,” Trump said, noting Ogles was an “essential vote” in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025. Trump interspersed praise for Ogles with comments on the war in Iran and the SAVE America Act, which the president is still attempting to push through Congress.

Trump first endorsed Ogles in October. Hatcher also identifies himself as a pro-Trump Republican, stating on his campaign website that “Trump would have been a fantastic farmer because he has that work ethic … think what President Trump could do if our congressman spent less time talking and more time doing.”

Ogles regularly introduces legislation supporting the Trump administration’s agenda. In 2025, Ogles nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize and filed a bill proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow a president to be elected to serve three terms. 

“I’m obviously honored to work with the president and carry much of the legislation on his behalf,” Ogles said during Tuesday’s call.

Trump also took the opportunity to highlight his symbiotic relationship with the Volunteer State.

“I’m always going to love Tennessee, even if you don’t vote for Andy, I’m going to love Tennessee, to be honest with you,” Trump said.

Campaign Finances and PAC support in tightening race

Ogles raised around $600,000 this cycle, and his most recent campaign account filing shows $57,648.62 cash on hand. He spent tens of thousands of dollars on legal consulting while facing a campaign finance investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee and the seizure of his phone by the FBI. His phone was returned in May, signaling the end of the FBI’s investigation.

Hatcher has raised $720,000 and has about $105,000 left. Ogles’ campaign also lists $70,368.75 in debts; Hatcher reported zero debts or loans.

If Democrat Chaz Molder wins his primary, the Republican primary victor will face well-funded competition. Molder, the mayor of Columbia, raised $2.6 million this campaign cycle and has nearly $1.5 million remaining in the bank.

Starting on May 15, the day the Tennessee General Assembly approved the new map, the Freedom Caucus Fund began a series of digital advertising purchases in support of Ogles. Since that day, the Freedom Caucus Fund has spent $414,752.31 on digital advertising and donation processing in support of Ogles. They also spent $248,081 on two media buys opposing Hatcher over the last week.  

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC spent $688,348.55 on two advertising buys supporting Hatcher on July 16. The PAC is backed by renewable energy executives seeking to unseat elected officials who have acted against renewable energy development. Ogles in 2023 introduced H.R. 812, a bill to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, a Biden-era law that marked the federal government’s largest investment in clean energy through tax credits and other incentives. Ogles’ bill never moved past its introduction, but Trump turned instead to executive orders and other directives to claw back support for renewable energy.

“The same folks that funded Kamala Harris’ campaign — yes, that’s right, the liberal Kamala Harris — are funding my opponent,” Ogles said Tuesday. “They’re coming after me. They just dropped a million dollars against me. So your vote is important.”

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC did not fund Harris’ campaign, but some of the PAC’s individual donors donated to Harris’ campaign.

“This is a fight for our nation, and we have the choice: we can let the liberals try to buy seats in Tennessee, or we can hold our ground and fight back.”

Axios Nashville reported last week that Kalshi, a prediction market that allows people to trade on the outcome of real-world events, showed Ogles with a 90% chance of winning to Hatcher’s 5% chance in late May. As of Tuesday, Ogles’ odds stood at 66%, and Hatcher’s at 40%.

Trump called into a similar tele-rally last year to drum up support for Rep. Matt Van Epps in a competitive race against Democratic challenger Aftyn Behn. Van Epps won the December special election to represent U.S. House District 7 with 53.9% of the vote to Behn’s 45.1%.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The summer months a great time to visit local farmers markets to stock up on fresh seasonal produce, homemade items and more.

Columbia's Farmers Fresh Market takes place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday at Riverwalk Park, 102 Riverside Drive, rain or shine, and features local farms and artisans. Items range from fresh produce to meats, farm fresh eggs, baked goods and handcrafted items.

In Spring Hill, Hidden Gem Farmers Market opens at 11 a.m. Saturday, running until 2 p.m. and will occur every weekend through mid-December.