Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 7-8-26

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Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for July 8, 2026

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

Ogles Hosts Labor Secretary in Maury (MSM)

Congressman Andy Ogles hosted acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling in Maury County for a tour of General Motors’ Spring Hill operations and a roundtable with local business leaders, GM officials, and community stakeholders at Columbia State Community College.

The roundtable focused on bolstering local manufacturing, expanding workforce development, strengthening technical training, and onshoring manufacturing jobs back to Tennessee.

Ogles and Sonderling toured both the General Motors vehicle assembly plant and electric battery plant, seeing firsthand how Tennessee workers are building the future of American manufacturing. General Motors employs more than 4,000 people in Tennessee and contributes $2 billion in direct GDP to the state, while continuing to invest in workforce development through apprenticeships, hands-on training, and technical upskilling.

“Tennessee is building the cars we drive every day,” said Congressman Ogles. “From vehicle assembly, futuristic propulsion, and fuel cell innovation, Tennessee is leading. I was proud to host Acting Secretary Sonderling to hear directly from Tennessee business leaders and innovators.

General Motors Assistant Plant Director Elizabeth Brown said, “It was a pleasure to welcome Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling and Congressman Andy Ogles to Spring Hill and give them a firsthand look at the people and processes behind this plant. Our team is building the future of manufacturing here every day, including EVs and gas-powered vehicles under one roof. We appreciated the chance to talk about how internships, apprenticeships, and hands-on training can open the door to more careers in manufacturing.”

City Calls for Community Involvement in Branding (Press Release)

The City of Columbia invites residents, business owners, and community stakeholders to attend a public informational session to learn more about the City's comprehensive branding initiative and how they can participate in shaping Columbia's future.

The meeting will provide an overview of the branding process, explain opportunities for public involvement, and outline how community input will help define Columbia's identity for years to come.

Informational Session

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Location: Columbia City Hall – Council Chambers

700 N Garden Street

Columbia, TN 38401

The City has partnered with Chandlerthinks, a nationally recognized branding and strategic communications firm, to lead the project. Throughout the process, the firm will engage the community through a variety of outreach efforts, including:

• Stakeholder interviews

• Community focus groups

• Online surveys

The information gathered through these engagement opportunities will be combined with market research and strategic analysis to develop a unified brand that authentically represents the City of Columbia.

A strong community brand serves as an important economic development tool. It influences how residents, visitors, businesses, entrepreneurs, and industries perceive Columbia and helps position the city to compete for investment, tourism, talent, and new opportunities while strengthening community pride.

The City encourages all interested community members to attend the public informational session.

County Library Director Retained (MSM)

The Maury County Commission filled two open seats on the County Library Board and approved a raise for the library director last week.

Three women, Kara Williams, Carla Walker and Rita Parks, were nominated for two open seats on the library board. Williams received the county representative seat with 11 of 20 votes and Walker was chosen for the seat representing the City of Columbia by acclamation.

After some debate, the commission also voted to raise Library Director Meghan Cyr’s salary from $80,000 to $95,000, to compete with the offer she had received from the Spring Hill Library the previous week.

Officials and commissioners argued that retaining Cyr was worth spending $15,000 and skipping Budget Committee review. County Finance Director Doug Lukonen praised her as a hard worker and his favorite of the five library directors he has worked with.

Library Board Trustee Beverly Simmons highlighted Cyr’s oversight of the Columbia branch renovation, work on the new Mount Pleasant Library, long-overdue accuracy improvements to the card catalogs, expansion of the digital and print collections, cross-departmental and nonprofit collaborations and morale improvements that have made Columbia and Mount Pleasant branches partners instead of rivals. Though the Spring Hill offer was tempting, Simmons said that Cyr’s heart is with the county library system.

“It’s fiscally responsible to retain Director Cyr,” Simmons told the commission. “The process of finding another [director]… will be expensive, with no guarantee of finding someone as qualified or capable as she.”

“I think we should do everything in our power to keep her,” agreed County Mayor Sheila Butt.

Commissioners Gabe Howard, Tommy Wolaver and Kevin Markham wanted to send the raise back to the budget committee for review and accommodation in the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget. They observed that a raise of almost 20 percent would necessitate either moving funds around or withdrawing money from the county’s reserves — decisions which fall to the budget committee, especially during the closing of budget season.

Commissioner Scott Sumners, one of the architects of the annual budget, countered that holding the vote was the timely thing to do, even if the raise would probably create a general-fund deficit of the same amount.

“She’s gonna be gone by [July]… I think time is of the essence on this,” he warned.

The commission voted 6-14 against sending the raise back to budget and approved the raise 15-5.

MRMG Recognized for Diabetes Care (MSM)

Maury Regional Medical Center has been recognized among a select group of hospitals nationwide for its commitment to delivering high-quality care to people living with diabetes. The Leapfrog Group and the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) recently named Maury Regional Medical Center a “Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes,” making it one of just 37 hospitals across 14 states to receive the designation in 2026.

“Diabetes is a disease well known to shorten people’s lives if not well managed. This recognition reflects the exceptional commitment of our physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, diabetes educators and care teams who work collaboratively every day to support patients living with diabetes,” said Martin Chaney, MD, chief executive officer for Maury Regional Health.

The Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes program is in its third year, evaluating hospitals based on their care for patients with diabetes during admission, hospital stay, and discharge. The program recognizes hospitals aligned with the ADA’s Standards of Care in Diabetes and Leapfrog’s standards for excellence in hospital safety and quality.

“People living with diabetes face added risks when hospitalized, and institutions like Maury Regional Medical Center are going the extra mile for the safety of adults living with diabetes,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate Maury Regional Medical Center for being one of 37 hospitals across the U.S. to earn this distinction.”

Hospitals are assessed both on the implementation of these processes and on how well they execute care delivered to patients. The designation highlights hospitals that demonstrate excellence in key areas of diabetes management and patient safety, including:

• Blood glucose (blood sugar) testing and hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) protocols

• Specialized preparation for inpatient surgery

• Meal and insulin regimen planning

• Robust discharge planning for high-risk patients with diabetes

• Patient safety standards

•

Learn more about the Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes designation, including full details on the standards and instructions for hospitals applying for the recognition at www.leapfroggroup.org.

School District Names Instruction Coordinator (Press Release)

Maury County Public Schools is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Michele Murray as the school district's new Instruction Coordinator, bringing nearly three decades of educational experience and a proven record of instructional leadership to Maury County.

Dr. Murray began her career in education in 1997, serving in a variety of roles. Her experience includes teaching multiple subjects across elementary and middle school grade levels, serving as a K-8 school interventionist, K-5 elementary academic coach, and higher education student teaching supervisor and adjunct professor.

Most recently, Dr. Murray completed her 10th year as a school administrator. Her leadership experience includes two years as a K-8 assistant principal, five years as an elementary principal with Sullivan County Schools and the past three years as an elementary principal with Williamson County Schools.

"Maury County Public Schools continues to build on our academic momentum, attracting outstanding educational leaders that are essential to our success," said Lisa Ventura, superintendent of Maury County Public Schools. "Dr. Murray's extensive experience in curriculum, instruction and school leadership, combined with her passion for supporting educators and student achievement, makes her an outstanding addition to our school district. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on our schools."

Dr. Murray is eager to begin collaborating with educators across the school district to support teaching and learning.

"I am honored to join Maury County Public Schools and begin this new chapter alongside an incredible team," Dr. Murray said. "I'm grateful to join a district committed to excellence and look forward to partnering with dedicated educators to support the exceptional work already happening systemwide."

Dr. Murray earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education, master's degree in early childhood education, and doctorate in educational leadership from East Tennessee State University.

Williamson Health Sells to Ascension (MauryCountySource)

Williamson Health’s Board of Trustees has voted to sell the county-owned health system to Ascension, a move that would end nearly seven decades of county ownership if approved by the Williamson County Commission, the Nashville Business Journal reports. 

The board unanimously approved Ascension’s proposal during a special meeting Monday. The agreement includes a $700 million purchase price, along with commitments for additional investments that bring the total value of the deal to about $950 million.

Under the proposal, Ascension would invest $235 million over the next 10 years for facility improvements and electronic health records. The company also pledged another $140 million for strategic projects during the first five years, plus $20 million for routine capital improvements.

The sale is not final. The Williamson County Commission must approve the agreement before it can move forward. Commissioners are scheduled to discuss the board’s decision during a special meeting Monday evening, with a vote on a letter of intent expected in September.

Williamson Health began exploring its future last year after financial projections showed the system could face annual losses of more than $31 million by 2029. Leaders also determined the hospital would need about $150 million in additional capital improvements over the next five years.

During the review process, Williamson Health contacted 28 healthcare organizations about a possible partnership or sale before narrowing the list to several finalists. Ascension was ultimately selected over the remaining bidders.

Board members also considered ways to keep Williamson Health independent, including reducing costs, seeking more funding, negotiating higher insurance reimbursements, converting to a nonprofit, and requesting county tax support. According to the board, none of those options would provide the long-term funding needed to keep the health system financially stable.

More than 70 employees, community members, and local leaders attended Monday’s meeting. No one spoke during the public comment period.

(Mayoral Forum (Press Release)

Join Maury Alliance on July 9th at 5:30pm at the Cherry Theater on the campus of Columbia State Community College 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.

Spring Hill Budget Commended (MauryCountySource)

On Friday, June 26, the City of Spring Hill received official word from the State  of Tennessee Comptroller’s Office that the City’s 2027 Fiscal Year budget has been approved, receiving recognition from the State Comptroller as being a “Distinguished Submission.”

The budget was submitted shortly after it was passed on second reading by the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen on June 15, via Ordinance 26-10.

“This recognition from the State Comptroller reflects the thoughtful planning, fiscal discipline, and teamwork that went into developing our FY27 budget. I want to especially thank Finance Director Rebecca Holden and Budget Manager Chelsea Perryman for their outstanding leadership and dedication,” said Mayor Matt Fitterer. “Our shared commitment to transparency, accountability, and financial stewardship helps ensure that the City of Spring Hill is well-positioned to meet the needs of  residents today while planning responsibly for tomorrow while minimizing burden on taxpayers.  This distinction reflects the high standard our team strives to uphold in serving our community.”

“We commend the governing body and local officials for submitting a well presented, timely, and organized budget. Complete and detailed submissions allow our office to efficiently review the budget and provide an accurate assessment within a timely manner which supports financial health  in local governments in the State of Tennessee,” stated the letter from the Comptroller’s Office. “We greatly appreciate the detail, time, and effort that you put into the budget submission and look forward to continuing our work with Spring Hill to make government work better.”

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. 

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

Cathy Elizabeth Garner, 75, a lifelong resident of Maury County, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at NHC Columbia HealthCare.

Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Visitation with family and friends will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hampshire. 

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.

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.

And now, news from around the state…

AI Driving Data Centers (Tennessean)

Artificial intelligence is fueling a rapid expansion of data centers across Tennessee, bringing billions of dollars in investment while also raising questions about electricity demand, water use, air pollution and local control.

A data center is a facility that houses thousands of computer servers used to store, process and transmit digital information. Everything from email and online banking to ChatGPT relies on data centers.

While data centers have existed for decades, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving demand for a new generation of much larger, more energy-intensive facilities designed to train and operate AI systems.

John Quigley, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, said the industry is undergoing a fundamental shift. Unlike traditional data centers, which were relatively modest industrial facilities, today's AI-focused "mega" centers can use enormous amounts of electricity, water and infrastructure support.

"AI is changing the scale of everything," Quigley said. "We're talking about facilities that require amounts of electricity that communities simply haven't had to think about before."

Tennessee offers several advantages for data center developers, including relatively inexpensive land, access to electricity through the Tennessee Valley Authority, tax incentives and a central location in the Southeast.

The state's limited land-use regulations also make it attractive. Unlike some states with statewide zoning requirements, Tennessee gives local governments broad authority over land use, and nearly half of the state's 95 counties had not adopted countywide zoning regulations as of 2025, according to an analysis by the Sycamore Institute.

Without zoning restrictions, developers often face fewer hurdles when proposing large projects in unincorporated areas. Even in counties and cities that do have zoning, regulations vary widely.

Communities across the state have begun pushing back with proposed moratoriums and zoning ordinances. They’re concerned over possible electricity and water demands, noise, air pollution and lack of transparency.

Quigley said many communities are struggling because they have little experience evaluating facilities of this scale.

"These are not typical industrial projects," he said.

In Tennessee, local governments generally cannot outright ban a lawful business. Instead, they regulate where and how development occurs through zoning and land-use rules.

That's why a growing number of communities have adopted temporary moratoriums, allowing officials to pause new applications while they study the impacts.

McMinnville, Coffee County, Knox County, Cedar Hill, Washington County, Grundy County, Johnson City, Jonesborough, Hamilton County and Bristol have all enacted data center moratoriums ranging from one to two years. Nashville, where a proposed center next to its zoo has raised alarm, and Gallatin, home to Meta's growing campus, are also considering moratoriums.

Hawkins County took a more aggressive approach last year, enacting a permanent ban on data centers and cryptocurrency mining. The county is now facing a lawsuit from the Beacon Center, a nonprofit Tennessee think tank.

According to Data Center Map, Tennessee has more than 60 data centers, most of which are traditional facilities that support cloud computing and business operations. But a handful of much larger AI and hyperscale projects are transforming the landscape.

xAI's Colossus campus in Memphis is the largest AI data center project in Tennessee, and among the largest in the world. The supercomputer complex now operates at more than 500 megawatts of power following the addition of dozens of gas turbines, with plans to expand to nearly 2 gigawatts. That’s enough electricity to power more than one million homes.

Meta's campus in Gallatin spans roughly 900 acres and is expected to require about 300 megawatts of power at full build-out. The campus could eventually include up to 12 data halls and more than 1.5 million square feet of infrastructure.

Google's Montgomery County campus near Clarksville occupies about 1,300 acres and represents one of the state's largest long-standing hyperscale center investments, although Google has not publicly disclosed its power demand.

By comparison, Nashville's proposed data center projects are significantly smaller, though experts say proximity can matter as much as size. Quigley said communities often experience the cumulative effects of noise, air pollution and infrastructure demands when facilities are located near neighborhoods.

The proposed DC BLOX campus near the Nashville Zoo would span roughly 260,000 square feet and require up to 50 megawatts of power, according to planning documents.

RadiusDC's project on Brick Church Pike in North Nashville would total about 100,000 square feet and require about 12 megawatts of power. The facility is expected to open in late 2026.

Fisk University's proposed Innovation Center would include a 70,000-square-foot data center alongside 30,000 square feet of academic and workforce development space.

The amount of electricity varies widely depending on a center’s size and purpose. Traditional data centers have historically operated in the 10- to 40-megawatt range, while the newest AI-focused facilities can require hundreds of megawatts or even multiple gigawatts of power.

For comparison, the proposed DC BLOX campus near the Nashville Zoo would require up to 50 megawatts — enough electricity to power roughly 50,000 homes. A gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts, meaning a 1-gigawatt AI campus could consume enough electricity to power about one million homes.

At the upper end of the spectrum, some AI campuses under development nationally are seeking gigawatts of power that rival the electricity demands of a mid-sized city.

Data centers are one of the nation’s largest drivers of electricity demand growth. The Tennessee Valley Authority says data centers now account for roughly 18% to 20% of the utility’s industrial electricity demand, which is projected to double by 2030.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Rhett Akins received a surprise of a lifetime on June 28th at the Grand Ole Opry when his friend and fellow Opry member Jon Pardi invited him to become the newest member of the Opry family. 

Akins, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member who has written 36 No. 1 country hits for artists including Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton and more, had just finished his set when Pardi walked onstage to deliver the news.

“Rhett has always been somebody who has always been a mentor and taught a lot to me about how to write songs, how to be a co-writer,” Pardi said in a release. “He has over 30 No. 1’s.”

Akins will officially be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry later this year on a date to be announced.