Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 8-31-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for August 31, 2026

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

We start with local news…

Illegal Gambling Crackdown (Press Release)

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, officers and agents simultaneously executed 22 search warrants at 20 Columbia businesses and two residences. In total, authorities recovered over $1.3 million in cash, more than 100 pounds of kratom and THCA and 144 gambling machines, and made 13 arrests.

The multi-agency operation included the Columbia Police Department, Gallatin Police Department, Portland Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office and 22nd Judicial Drug Task Force.

The investigation began in July 2026 after the Columbia Police Department and Mayor’s Office received multiple complaints from residents and business owners regarding suspected illegal gambling activity. Undercover officers with CPD’s Investigations Division subsequently entered 50 businesses throughout Columbia and found 20 conducting illegal gambling and paying out winnings from gambling machines.

“This was a lengthy and complex investigation, and I want to begin by thanking every law enforcement agency that worked alongside the Columbia Police Department to make this operation possible,” said Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Haywood. “Our investigators spent weeks gathering evidence and identifying illegal activity occurring throughout our community. The results of this operation demonstrate the professionalism of our officers and the strength of the partnerships we have with law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels.”

During the investigation, officers also observed gambling payouts involving minors believed to be as young as 9 or 10 years old and noted increased drug activity at the locations. Investigators also identified two residences, one in Columbia and one in Gallatin, where proceeds connected to illegal gambling activity were being housed.

“An operation of this scale requires an extraordinary level of coordination, and the City is grateful to each agency that assisted the Columbia Police Department,” said City Manager Tony Massey. “I commend Chief Haywood, the men and women of the Columbia Police Department and all of their partners for the excellence demonstrated throughout this operation.”

Mayor Chaz Molder also commended the department’s efforts.

“I want to commend the Columbia Police Department for their efforts yesterday, which were the culmination of a months-long investigation into illegal gambling activities taking place in our community. I am grateful for the safety of everyone involved during this large-scale operation, and I anticipate the successful prosecution of these cases in the criminal justice system. There’s no place for illegal activities in our community”

The investigation remains ongoing, with additional indictments anticipated. 

Columbia Firefighters Assist with Texas Fire (Press Release)

 Columbia Fire & Rescue will deploy personnel and equipment to Texas to assist with ongoing firefighting efforts related to the Ross Fire, following a request for assistance from the State of Texas to the State of Tennessee.

Columbia Fire & Rescue will participate as part of a Middle Tennessee deployment team. The department will send six personnel, one fire engine and one service/support truck to assist with firefighting operations in the area west of Fort Worth.

The Columbia Fire & Rescue team departed early Sunday morning, August 30, and travelled to its assigned rally point in Texas. The deployment is expected to last approximately 10 to 14 days, depending on operational needs and conditions.

During the deployment, Columbia Fire & Rescue will maintain continuous accountability of its personnel and apparatus through department software, allowing the department to monitor the team’s location and maintain communication while they are operating in Texas.

“We are proud of our firefighters for answering the call to assist another community during a time of need,” said Columbia Fire & Rescue Chief Chris Cummins. “Our personnel are prepared to serve wherever they are needed, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support the firefighting efforts in Texas.”

Columbia Fire & Rescue will maintain appropriate staffing and resources in Columbia throughout the deployment to ensure emergency services remain available to the community without interruption.

The City of Columbia asks the community to keep the deployed personnel, their families and all firefighters working the Ross Fire in their thoughts as they carry out this important mission.

Speed Change on Kedron Road (MauryCountySource)

The speed limit on part of Kedron Road in Spring Hill will be reduced from 45 mph to 35 mph beginning Monday, Aug. 31.

The change applies to Kedron Road between Main Street and Royal Park Boulevard.

City crews are installing new speed limit signs ahead of the change. Drivers are encouraged to slow down and watch for the updated signage along the roadway.

aMuse’um Fundraiser (WKOM Audio 3:20)

On Saturday, a foodtruck festival was held as a fundraiser for aMuse’um children’s museum in Columbia. WKOM’s Delk Kennedy attended the fundraiser and got a chance to speak to aMuse’um’s board chair, Katie Collins to learn more about the event…

School Board to Consider Anti-Bullying Policy (MSM)

The Maury County Board of Education is set to vote Sept. 1 on a new anti-bullying policy that would establish formal protections for students, set investigation timelines for schools and impose discipline up to termination for district employees found to have created a hostile learning environment.

The current draft of the policy bans “harassment, intimidation, bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, discrimination… antisemitism… or any other victimization of students based on actual or perceived traits or characteristics.”

Protected traits include “race, nationality, origin, color, [biological] sex, age, disability [or] religion.” Bullying becomes an actionable offense if it harms a student or their property, or gives them reasonable fear of such harm. Such offenses can be established through a decline in the victim’s health, mental state, academic performance or participation at school.

A student found guilty of bullying must be disciplined appropriately, with suspension as the maximum punishment. A district employee faces discipline up to termination if found guilty of harassing someone or creating a hostile learning environment. False accusers are also subject to penalties ranging from intervention up to expulsion.

Procedurally, the principal of a given school or their designee is required to open an investigation of a bullying incident or pattern within 48 hours after it is reported and must hold an intervention into a substantiated case within 20 days. If either condition is not met, the principal or designee must submit a written report justifying the inaction. The annual log of bullying cases must be reported to the board of education every July and to the state Department of Education by the end of that month.

Assistant Superintendent Eric Perryman noted that while parents have rights over their children’s discipline, a bullying or cyberbullying case that occurs outside school hours and grounds can still fall within the district’s disciplinary purview if it “substantially” affects the learning environment.

The policy was introduced to the school board by District 3 board member Jamila Brown, who has raised concerns since the beginning of the school year about widespread bullying in Maury County Public Schools. Brown hosted an unofficial meeting Aug. 17 to gather input on the issue, drawing current and former school district officials, teachers, administrators, school resource officers and parents.

“Various… attendees express[ed] both their general concerns and… frustrations with a variety of discipline issues in the schools,” said David Moore, the school board’s District 5 member, who attended the meeting.

Moore added: “Vaping and cell phones quickly stood out as some of the most troubling points… It was generally agreed that cell phones were contributing heavily towards bullying.”

One idea that came up multiple times at the meeting was to involve the parents of alleged bullies in remediation efforts — either by getting them to discipline their children themselves or by penalizing them in more extreme cases.

At the school board meeting the following night, Brown addressed her colleagues directly.

“We have a very serious issue in our public schools when it comes to bullying: not only cyberbullying, but sometimes even physical assault,” Brown said.

“I have had several suggestions that parents be involved in the reprimanding of their kids, because as Superintendent Ventura said last night, some of our kids who are saying they’re the victims are actually the bullies.”

Moore echoed the sentiment.

“People expressed an idea that if, in terms of discipline… there were a way for the parents of some of the disciplined children to have some culpability there… they feel like that would help,” he said.

“Many of [people’s] concerns — vaping, cell phones, and bullying — all originate in the home environment, and without buy-in from these parents it would be difficult to really address these problems… [If a bully’s] parents are not only aware of [their child’s bad behavior], but feel it a little bit, they understand what’s happening and they don’t just brush it off as if it’s nothing.”

District 6 board member Sue Stephenson noted that data shared with the board showed the district received 191 bullying reports in the last school year, 131 of them substantiated by investigation.

“Clearly, I think we’ve got something that we need to address,” Stephenson said.

CPJI To Honor Two Leaders (Press Release)

The Columbia Peace and Justice Initiative (CPJI) will honor founding members of the Boys & Girls Club of South Central Tennessee, Hernandez “Paco” Havard and the late Rev. Talvin Barner, Jr., on Tuesday, September 29. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for fellowship and refreshments, followed by the program at 6 p.m. This free event, presented by title sponsor Heritage Bank & Trust, will be held at Maury Hills Church, located at 101 Unity Drive in Columbia.

“The CPJI board and Legacy Night committee want to honor the initial visionaries and recognize the continued success of the Boys & Girls Club of South Central Tennessee in preparing our youth to make a positive impact on our community,” said CPJI President Demetrius Nelson. “CPJI believes that nonprofit agencies should support, collaborate, and encourage one another to advance the progress and prosperity of everyone in our community.”

On July 28, 1995, two men had a bold vision to inspire, educate, and empower the youth of Maury County. Hernandez “Paco” Havard and the late Rev. Talvin Barner, Jr. refused to let drugs, gangs, poverty, and low academic standards dictate the future of young people in their community. Together, they launched and incorporated the Boys & Girls Club of Maury County with the support of a dedicated group of board members. For the past 30 years, this organization has provided thousands of youth with hope, assistance, and a sense of honor.

The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. The Boys & Girls Clubs exist to encourage three pillars of excellence:

• Academic Success: Ensuring every member graduates from high school with a concrete plan for the future.

• Good Character & Citizenship: Instilling leadership skills and encouraging youth to give back to their communities.

• Healthy Lifestyles: Providing guidance and activities that promote physical and mental well-being.

“Since its formation, the Boys & Girls Club now serves more than 1,500 youth annually across 14 sites in Maury and Giles counties,” said CPJI Legacy Event Co-Chair Trent Ogilvie. “This impact would not have been possible if it were not for the vision and dedication of the organization’s founders.”

In addition to Havard and Barner, visionaries included Ora Thompson, Dr. Eslick Daniel, Jennifer Graham, John Stevens, Kim Criswell and James Martin

“The community owes a debt of gratitude to the leaders and supporters who 40 years ago turned a vision into a movement that forever changed our community and provided inspiration for youth to reach their full potential,” said CPJI Legacy Event Co-Chair Patrick Carter.

Past CPJI Legacy honorees are community and higher education leader Dr. Christa S. Martin, retired Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Executive Director Bernard Childress, Civil Rights Attorney Fred Gray, and educator Barbara Dobbins.

Conference on AI at CSCC (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College will host "AI for Small Business," a one-day conference designed to help entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals learn how to leverage artificial intelligence to streamline operations, strengthen marketing efforts and improve productivity.

The conference will take place Friday, Oct. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Columbia State's Williamson Campus in Franklin. Registration is $75 per person and includes lunch.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the business landscape, small businesses are increasingly looking for practical ways to incorporate AI tools into their daily operations. The conference will provide attendees with real-world strategies and demonstrations focused on improving efficiency, enhancing customer engagement and supporting business growth.

“Artificial intelligence is no longer a technology reserved for large corporations,” said Dr. Mehran Mostajir, Columbia State dean of the Business and Technology Division and assistant professor of Engineering Systems Technology. “This conference is designed to help small business owners and professionals understand how AI can be applied in practical ways to save time, increase productivity and strengthen their competitive advantage.”

Conference topics will include:

•    Creating marketing materials with AI

•    Customer communications

•    Back-office operations

•    Teaching AI to build and transform websites with personality

•    Solving business problems using AI

The conference keynote address, “Recent Developments in AI Applied to Your Practice,” will be presented by Dr. Jesse Spencer-Smith.

The event is intended for small business owners, entrepreneurs, startup founders, self-employed professionals, managers, team leaders and professionals working in marketing, operations and sales. Individuals interested in learning more about the business applications of artificial intelligence are also encouraged to attend.

The conference supports Columbia State's growing leadership in artificial intelligence education and workforce development. Earlier this year, the college received a $2.02 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education to establish a new AI division through the COMPASS initiative, or Community College Operational Model for Promoting AI Student Success. The initiative is designed to build institutional capacity for AI while expanding AI literacy, workforce readiness and community engagement opportunities throughout the region.

“Through initiatives like COMPASS and events such as AI for Small Business, Columbia State is helping ensure that students, employees and business leaders have access to the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy,” Mostajir said.

Registration is now open at https://qrco.de/bgsVsw. To learn more about our Workforce and Continuing Education programs, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Workforce. For more information, contact Mostajir at mmostajir@ColumbiaState.edu or by phone at 931.540.2710.

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

John Francis Myers, Sr., 79, a resident of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Chris Caldwell officiating. Burial will follow at Spring Hill Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Monday, August 31, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Margaret Susan Kinzer Ivey, age 85, passed away on August 28, 2026, at Poplar Estates in Columbia, Tennessee.

Services will be held on Saturday, September 5, at Williamsport United Methodist Church at 2:00 PM. Burial will follow at Williamsport Cemetery, located behind the church. Visitation will be held at the church for two hours prior to the service.

And now, news from around the state… 

Petition to Rename BNA (MauryCountySource)

A Change.org petition was introduced in 2025 to rename the airport from Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International.

Now, after the country music icon passed away on Tuesday, August 25th, the petition has gained more attention, with over 150,000 signatures.

Following Parton’s death, the organizers updated the petition, saying the response had renewed their effort.

“Since her passing, tens of thousands of additional supporters have visited and signed this petition,” Popovich and Dion wrote. “The outpouring of support has reinvigorated our mission — to rename the Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport.”

Tennessee Rep. Todd Warner commented on the petition, stating, “Yes, I will definitely introduce legislation to rename the BNA airport Dolly Parton International Airport!”

Russ Bradford, Nashville City Council, also commented on the petition, stating, “I’m proud to sponsor a resolution asking the Metro Nashville Airport Authority to consider renaming BNA to Dolly Parton International Airport.”

He continued, “I want to be clear about what this resolution does and doesn’t do: it’s a statement of support from Metro Council, urging MNAA to take up the idea. The final decision on any name change rests with the Airport Authority, not with Council. I hope that this resolution sends a strong signal of how much our community would welcome this change, and that MNAA will give it serious consideration.”

On social media, Nashville International Airport addressed the renaming of the airport, stating, “The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) joins the entire nation and state of Tennessee in mourning the loss of a true legend, Dolly Parton. Dolly’s extraordinary talent, generosity and unmistakable spirit transcended generations, and her love for Tennessee left an indelible mark on our state and the world.”

“Since her passing, MNAA has received several inquiries regarding the process for naming Nashville International Airport®. Originally adopted in 2010 and most recently updated in 2024, MNAA’s Naming Policy establishes the criteria and formal process for naming buildings, spaces, facilities and streets owned by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.”

The policy states any airport buildings or streets must be named for individuals who have been deceased for at least two years by the time of the proposed naming and who have made a substantial personal contribution to the MNAA and/or the field of aviation in Middle Tennessee.

Nashville International Airport will light up the garages in pink through the weekend in honor of Dolly Parton.

Despite the growing support, there is currently no clear or direct path to rename Nashville International Airport for Dolly Parton. Any change would likely require action by the Airport Authority, state lawmakers, or both.But we do like the sound of the petition’s slogan, “We could all be Departin’ from Parton.”

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

The Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville will return to Music City Center Jan. 8–10, 2027, with the theme “Timeless: Living a Collected Life.” 

Presented by Northern Trust, the annual event benefits Cheekwood Estate & Gardens and Economic Club of Nashville Charities. The 2027 theme will focus on collected interiors, treasured heirlooms and the stories behind the objects that make a house a home. Tickets go on sale Aug. 28 at antiquesandgardenshow.com.

Now in its 37th year, the Antiques & Garden Show is considered one of the nation’s longest-running and largest events of its kind. More than 17,000 attendees are expected to experience more than 150 antiques, art and horticulture exhibitors, immersive garden displays, lectures and special events.