Front Porch Radio - Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price
Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 8-26-24
(upbeat music) - Hello and welcome to Southern Middle Tennessee today on WKOM and WKRM Radio. Your hometown news broadcasting from the Debbie Matthews Nashville Realty Newsroom in Columbia, Tennessee. I'm your host, Tom Price. Today is Monday, August 26th, and we start with local news. AT&T workers in Columbia, who are members of the communication workers of America, are still standing on the picket line, asking for better contract negotiations from the company that employs tens of thousands of workers. Late last week, over 17,000 CWA workers across the southeast enacted an unfair labor practice strike in protest of AT&T's quote, "bad faith bargaining tactics," according to a CWA media release. CWA District three members in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee walked off the job last Friday and remained on the picket line. Columbia Facility Technician Todd Herd, local CWA 3803 member of over 27 years, said the company needs to bring the right people to the bargaining table, though he was not specific about contract stipulations. Local CWA 3803 represents 122 workers in southern middle Tennessee, including those in Columbia, Pulaski, Hohenwald, and the surrounding area. In Nashville alone, at least 800 members are striking with a total of about 2,500 workers striking across the state. Herd, who stood by over a dozen members at the Columbia AT&T location on Armstrong Street, said members walked out of the AT&T sites in the city at 2 p.m. last Friday and are hoping to see some solutions. Andre Jones, who serves as a digital technician and has been with the company for 29 years, said he wishes the company were more sympathetic to employees. They need to be more sympathetic to employees. After all, that we've put in. There are a lot of things we'd like to have, like changes to health insurance, like two large deductibles and copay plans, Jones said. Negotiations began in late June and AT&T has refused to bargain over mandatory subjects and has failed to send a representative with authority to make decisions, the CWA media release said. I have been in close contact with CWA district three vice president Richard Honeycutt and I have complete faith in our bargaining team. CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. said, "I have told AT&T executives that the striking workers "and the bargaining team have my full support. "I expect AT&T to treat every member with respect "and to send representatives to the table "who have authority to bargain "and who are serious about bargaining and good faith," he said. AT&T disputed the union's accusations in a news release and said the company reached agreements in three other union negotiations this year that cover 13,000 employees. The company stated that the southeastern strike impacts 15,000 workers rather than the 17,000 claimed by the union. The strike involves technicians, customer service representatives and others who work at AT&T's residential and business telecommunications network in the region. The union said it filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board because, among other things, AT&T sent representatives to negotiations who did not have the authority to make decisions. "I have been met at the table by company representatives "who were unable to explain their own bargaining proposals. "It did not seem to have the actual bargaining "authority required," said Richard Honeycutt, vice president of the union's third district. With customer service representatives and AT&T installation and maintenance technicians on the strike line, the company is using subcontractors to keep their network running, the release said. During the strike, AT&T has been sending under-trained managers and contractors to perform highly technical work, Honeycutt said in a press release. Our members have seen them at work in their communities and documented unsafe practices, including failure to wear proper safety equipment, failure to secure ladders and other equipment, putting the worker in nearby vehicles and pedestrians at risk, and failure to mark work areas with safety cones. "We are encouraging members of the public "to use extra caution when encountering these work sites," he said. The city of Columbia has announced the appointment of interim fire chief Chris Cummins as the new full-time chief of Columbia Fire and Rescue, effective September 3rd. With a distinguished career at Columbia Fire and Rescue and a steadfast commitment to public safety, Chief Cummins brings invaluable experience and leadership to his new role. Chief Cummins commented, "The fire service is founded on a strong legacy "and tradition. "The history of those who came before us "is part of our story, and our actions today "will become part of their legacy. "I am both honored and privileged to help build "this foundation, ensuring that our work "will positively impact future generations." Chief Cummins says over three decades of experience with Columbia Fire and Rescue. He began his career with the department in 1990 as a firefighter and steadily rose through the ranks, serving as fire engineer and driver, captain, assistant chief of suppression, and ultimately as deputy chief before retiring in May of 2021. Additionally, Cummins has served over 20 years in total as a volunteer firefighter in both Murray and Lawrence counties. Following his retirement, Cummins was rehired in August of 2021 in a part-time capacity, where he contributed significantly to facilitating FEMA and TEMA transitions, conducting training, securing grants, and implementing hazard mitigation strategies. He was appointed to the position of interim chief in March of 2024. Columbia Mayor Chaz Mulder stated, "We are fortunate to have Chris Cummins continue "his outstanding service to us in his role "as chief of Columbia Fire and Rescue on a permanent basis. "The improved morale and improvements in other metrics "during this time, his time as interim chief, "are the result of his leadership and the result "and the respect rather he has within the department "and everywhere else in between. "His experience and dedication to public safety "make him the ideal leader for Columbia Fire and Rescue." As the full-time fire chief, Cummins will oversee all aspects of Columbia Fire and Rescue, including emergency response operations, training programs and community outreach initiatives. He will work closely with city officials and department personnel to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors. City manager Tony Massey said, "I am pleased to announce that Chris Cummins "has been selected as the permanent fire chief "for the city of Columbia. "He has done an outstanding job in the role of interim chief. "He brings experience, integrity, and dedication "to the position. "He will lead the department effectively "into the future." Throughout his career, Chief Cummins has demonstrated exceptional leadership in a strong ability to manage crisis situations effectively. As he assumes his new role as full-time fire chief, the city of Columbia is confident in his ability to guide the department with integrity, skill, and a deep commitment to the community. Murray County Public School Superintendent Lisa Ventura praised improvements in the district's state achievement TCAP scores recently released by the Tennessee Department of Education. The district experienced improvements in reading, math, and science scores with a slight dip in social studies. Ventura announced to Adam Murray County Chamber and Economic Alliance Education Forum last Wednesday at Muletown Lumberyard in Columbia's Arts District. "We are still trending up," Ventura said. According to the 2024 state report card, students in grades three through five in Murray County Public Schools scored 31% proficient in English and language arts and 33.2% proficient in math, which is up from 2023 scores. In 2023, the same batch of students scored 28.4% proficient in reading and 28.2% proficient in math. In 2018, Murray County Public Schools students scored 24.8% proficient in reading and 21.6% proficient in math on TCAP, which landed the district in the bottom 5% lowest performing districts in the state, designating the district as in need of improvement. However, an improvement in scores over the years has buoyed the district to its current designation of satisfactory, according to the 2024 state report card. Even though district scores have inched ahead each year, Murray County Public Schools still lags behind the state average of 38.9% proficiency in reading and 39.7% proficiency in math. Someone realized that it takes a lot of students improving to move one percentage point, Ventura said. That's a large number of students that had to make gains to bring up the aggregate average. "That's something to be proud of," she said. A panel of education professionals from Murray County Public Schools joined Ventura in discussing key issues at the Murray Alliance Education Forum. Panelists included Amy Roberts, Supervisor of College, Career and Technical Education. Michelle Gilbert, Director of Teaching, Learning and Assessment, and County Finance Director Doug Laconan, who talked about school funding. President of Murray Alliance, Will Evans moderated the event and also unveiled the Murray County Public Schools annual education report generated by Murray Alliance, which was crammed with statistics and facts about the district's enrollment, demographics, funding, academic performance and other trends during the 2022-2023 school year. Ventura attributes the steady increase in achievement to the district's laser focus on reading and reading interventions. Students undergo benchmark assessments throughout the year and receive reading interventions such as visiting a reading specialist and attending intensive reading summer camp instruction if they fall behind. Ventura also said that she supports limiting the amount of testing teachers are required to perform that could hinder their time spent in instruction. "We have to have some testing, but we need to decrease the amount of assessments," Ventura said. Gelsa pointed out that although the district still has a ways to go to catch up to the state average in reading proficiency, TCAP is only a snapshot of a student's performance. This achievement test is just a snapshot of one day of a child's life on one academic test. Ventura said, "I think that gets lost in the vernacular in our state and in our nation," she said. Columbia Mayor Chasmolder who attended the forum said the progress is encouraging. "I am pleased to see the progress reported in the Marie Alliance Public Ed Scorecard and even more pleased to have her district leadership in promoting the progress and successes, which also, while also articulating a vision that will work towards improvements for the system as a whole," Mulder said. "I appreciate the Marie Alliance for recognizing the importance of public education in our community. So goes our public school system, so goes our community. And we must all work together to improve our local school district at every opportunity," he said. Superintendent Ventura also addressed the problem of chronic absenteeism among students across the school district at a rate of 21% absenteeism during the 2023/2024 school year, according to the 2023 state report card significantly up from 13.9% in 2018. "At one time, parents used to plan according to the school calendar, but now parents do not plan according to the school calendar. If they have a deal on a condo in Destin, they pulled their child out for a week. School is important. "You don't want your child out for five days," Ventura said. "I don't want to shame or guilt parents, but we need them in school," she said. Ventura said schools are the heart of our community, containing the future parents, leaders, and workers in the community. I wish you could see what happens in schools every day, Ventura said to the group of business professionals in attendance that day. "They are magical places. "It's amazing how hard teachers work for your child and grandchildren," she said. Ventura praised the innovative programs occurring within school buildings each day, specifically citing Mount Pleasant STEM high schools, farm equipment simulators, along with other CTE programs across the district, from reading in the classroom to hands-on activities and dual enrollment programs with colleges," Ventura said. "It's a lot to do. "Your child should be tired at the end of the day." Roberts also discussed how Murray County Public Schools prepare students for the workforce by offering many skill training programs and CTE from recording music to building robots, to operating farm equipment, to building and creating products. She highlighted the large number of students who are able to participate in dual enrollment at Columbia State Community College and received their associate's degree upon graduation. However, Roberts said her dream would be for the district to house a centralized facility where all students can have the chance to participate in STEM, CTE and entrepreneurial endeavors in an equal way across the district, much like surrounding districts like Williamson County Schools. Ventura also highlighted the importance of a dedicated staff in the district's upward trajectory to higher achievement. "We have a staff who loves kids as much as I love kids "and who look at the whole child," Ventura said. "On Friday, Acton TriStar Academy, a new school in Spring Hill, "opened their doors, Candice Lewis of the Spring Hill Chamber "was on hand to speak to the academies, Rachel Ogden." Hi, I'm here with Rachel Ogden with Acton TriStar Academy. Tell us a little bit about the academy here and what you guys do. Yeah, absolutely. So we are an elementary school right now with plans to grow to middle school and high school. And what we do here is we turn learning upside down. So we want kids to love learning. We want them to be lifelong learners. So at our school, we have no grades, no teachers, no desks. So it is like self-directed learning. So they are really driving their education and also figuring out what they're passionate about so that they can do that, experience it, network in the community, do internships and just really have an experience with education that they're going to love and cherish. Awesome. How can people get in touch with you about learning how to enroll and the hours and all of that? Yeah. All of that information is on our website, www.actantrystar.com. We also have our social media page just for some other insights on Acton TriStar. And tell people where you're located. Yeah, we are at 762 Beachcroft Road in Spring Hill right near the GM plant and next door to Columbia Academy. Awesome. Thank you so much, Rachel. Yeah, thank you. Maria Regional Medical Center has welcomed Victoria Thomas Martin, an interventional cardiologist with Ascension St. Thomas Hart, Columbia, to the medical staff. Dr. Martin received her medical degree from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago. She completed her residency at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. She also completed fellowships at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville in both cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. She's board certified in internal medicine. Ascension St. Thomas Hart, Columbia, is located at 1222 Trotwood Avenue, sweet 211 in Columbia. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 430 p.m. To make an appointment, call 931-777-2300. And now your hometown memorials sponsored by Oakson Nichols Funeral Home. Mildred Cox-Grisom, 97, a longtime resident of Columbia, died on Wednesday, August 21st at LifeCare Center of Columbia. A private graveside service will be conducted on Monday, August 26th at Pocha Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Murray County Public Library at 211 West 8th Street in Columbia. Online condolences may be extended at www.oaksandnichols.com. Home Town Memorials is sponsored by Oakson Nichols Funeral Home, serving with dignity and consideration for over 150 years. As years go by, people may tend to forget just what a funeral is really all about. At Oaks and Nichols, we believe it's first at always a special remembrance of someone you love. We start by listening to your needs and desires. If you're unsure, we can help, gently, professionally. At Oaks and Nichols Funeral Directors, we haven't lost sight of why we're here, to serve Murray County families in the ways they prefer, and why the way you feel has always been so important to Susie and Tony Sowell. - When people come here, I hope they feel like they're working with a person who's just like family. And by the time they leave here, I hope they feel like they're a part of our family. - What I like most is when a family is leaving, they can say thanks. - You made something we thought would be hard, easier than we thought it would be. Not that we made it easy, we made it easier. - Oaks and Nichols Funeral Directors, 320 West 7th Street in Columbia, since 1856, people you can rely on. - For your Southern Middle Tennessee weather, we will have plenty of sunshine today with quite a lot of heat. The high is going to be 97 degrees, with light and variable winds. Tonight, we can expect a clear sky, and a low of 64. Let's take a break. When we come back, we'll cover state and national news that affect you. You're listening to Southern Middle Tennessee today. - Debbie Matthews-Rilter and her husband, Jason, who is a pro songwriter, also own a music publishing company. They live in historic downtown Columbia with their dogs. Dog rescue work is their passion project. They consider Middle Tennessee their backyard, and their lives are full of all things Tennessee. - Debbie says there is no greater honor than to help someone find a home. To be trusted with that job, there is no greater privilege. Call Debbie at the Nashville Realty Group, 615-476-3224, 615-476-3224. - Family first. My dad used to tell us that all the time. But family first wasn't just something he'd say to us. It was how he lived every day of his life, and it's how I try to live mine, too. At shelter insurance, our agents are dedicated to helping provide personalized auto home and life protection that put your family first. - For auto home, life, or business insurance, see shelter agent Tommy Hyde Jr. at 388-2009. - Are you thinking about a new fence? Maybe you need a pole bar. Then you should give Sands Fence Company a call that's 931-309-1644. Will Sands has built his business based on the principles of honesty, quality, and integrity. Sands Fence Company has been in business for over 20 years providing a community with farm, residential, and commercial fencing, as well as pole barns and buildings. Call today for a free estimates and fence company 931-309-1644, 931-309-1644. - For 40 years, the Jewelers bench has worked hard for their customers and provided the highest quality jewelry at the best price. They keep going back. Recent renovations have allowed them to expand their inventory. More high quality jewelry, custom vintage and estate pieces, and professional jewelry and watch repairs. They also buy gold. The Jewelers bench, still here, still great service. 808, Trotwood Avenue, Columbia. - This is Triacock with Dixie Equipment, Sales and Rental. We sell ASV and Wacker Nordstrom equipment. We also rent a wide variety of compact equipment in the middle Tennessee area. Come see us, we are located in Columbia, Tennessee at 200 East 16th Street. You can call us at 615-969-0118 or visit our website at www.dixiediesel.com. We have been in business for over 42 years and we would love to help you turn your project into reality. - Some people are just obsessed with their loans. They'd cut their grass with a pair of scissors if they could. Likes to gravely, they don't have to. You see, gravely makes not only the best built and most comfortable lawnmowers, they also leave your house looking like a doggone country club. So whether you're a commercial landscaper, wanting the best or just a perfectionist homeowner, you can't do better than a gravely. - See our full line of gravely products at Murray County Equipment, 1075 North James Campbell, Boulevard in Columbia, Tennessee, or check us out on Facebook. - This is Bob Kessel with Pat Ryan. It's a beautiful day for digging. The vacuum operator has the engine running and is moving into position. He's heading for the ground. He's in there. - Wait, there's a flag on the play. Let's get out of the field for the call from our official. - A legal procedure on the digging team. - Oh, that penalty could cause a costly accident. - That's right, Bob. He needs to call before he digs. There's underground utility lines that could be hiding just below the surface. Water, sewer, electrical, communication lines, and even natural gas. - Avoid a penalty by first calling 8-1-1 to have any underground public utility lines located at marked with flags or paint. It's free, it's easy, and it's the log. For more tips, visit pipesafety.org. This message brought to you by the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters and the Tennessee Gas Association, funded in part by a grant from the Underground Utility Damage Enforcement Board. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Welcome back to Southern Middle Tennessee today on WKOM 101.7 and WKRM 103.7, your hometown source for news and information. I'm Tom Price. And now news from around the state. Middle Tennessee archery hunters who want to hone their skills prior to the upcoming deer hunting season have options, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, or TWRA, maintains and partners in several archery ranges in the mid-state area for sportsmen to utilize. TWRA archery ranges are located at Cheetham WMA Firing and Archery Range, the Montgomery County Shooting Complex, and the Stones River Hunter Education Center. Information and fees for each of these ranges can be found in the Tennessee Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Guide at tnwildlife.org. The TWRA also partners with local municipalities and parks to provide opportunity for archers in Williamson, Murray, and Dixon counties. The archery range at Yannali Park in Murray County has been open for two years. TWRA partnered with Murray County Parks to build this ADA-compliant archery range at Yannali Park, located in Columbia at 922 Iron Bridge Road. The range features eight shooting stations, a concrete shooting platform and walkway to access targets from 15 to 50 yards. No broadheads are allowed. The range is open during park hours and there is no cost to access the range. TWRA and Montgomery Bell State Park partnered to create a target archery range on park property. The range features eight stations allowing archers to shoot from 20 to 50 yards in a wooded setting. No broadheads are allowed on the range. The range is open during park hours and there is no cost to access the range. Montgomery Bell State Park is located at 1020 Jackson Hill Road in Burns, Tennessee. The visitor's center phone number is 615-797-9052. To find the archery range, continue past the visitor's center on Jackson Hill Road. The Ag Expo archery park at the Williamson County Ag Expo serves Franklin and the surrounding area. The archery range was constructed in partnership between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Williamson County in 2013. The range features 10 stations ranging in distance from 10 to 60 yards and is open during daylight hours. Arrows equipped with broadheads are not allowed and there is no cost to access the range. The Ag Expo archery park is located at 4201 Long Lane in Franklin. The 2024-2025 deer season begins with a three day hunt on August 23rd through the 25th. This is an antler only archery hunt and open to private lands and select wildlife management areas. Check the Tennessee Fishing Hunting and Trapping Guide at tnwildlife.org for partnering management areas. The traditional opening day for the statewide archery season is the fourth Saturday in September. This year's it falls on September 28th of 2024. Let's take one last break. When we come back, we'll cover the final story of the day. Are you listening to Southern Middle Tennessee today? Turner and Osborne Tire Company 1016 South Main Street in Columbia. Good Macaula, 931-388-6822. They've been doing business since 1947 and in their current location since 1964. They provide the best tire and mechanical work at some of the best prices in middle Tennessee. Hey, they're official Michelin and Goodyear dealers and they've got all kinds of brands as well. Stop by and see Walker Vining in his professional staff or check them out online at turner@osburn.com. That's turner@osburner.com. Don't let pain keep you out of the game. Murray Regional Physical Therapies experience team of therapists can help you recover from surgery, injury, or illness by designing a plan that meets your unique needs. We utilize state-of-the-art equipment and proven techniques to help you get back to doing the things you love. Schedule a consultation at any of our convenience southern middle Tennessee locations by calling 931-380-4014. Murray Regional Health, where clinical excellence meets compassionate care. This is Hal Landers, owner of Landers Insurance Agency. We are independent agency representing the famous Erie Insurance Group. Landers Insurance Agency has been committed to providing great rates and great service since 2002. Whether it's home and auto or business or life insurance, we've got you covered 24/7 in-house claim service. We've got that too. Visit Landers Insurance at 514 North Garden Street, Columbia, call us at 931-380-2003. Our website is Landers Insurance Agency.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Welcome back to Southern Middle Tennessee today and now our final story. The season surrounding the September 13th, 2024 release of postcards from Texas, Miranda Lambert's ninth studio album, and first as an art assigned to Republic Records will include an honor from the 2024 People's Choice Country Awards two weeks after her album release. Lambert will receive the Country Icon Award at the event airing live on September 26th from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Notably, the Country Icon Award was given to the late Toby Keith during 2023's inaugural People's Choice Country Awards ceremony. A tour de force in country music for more than 20 years, Miranda Lambert's groundbreaking albums continue to capture the hearts of fans around the world, said Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events and specials at NBC Universal Entertainment. We're so excited to celebrate her career, fierce individualism and innovation in the industry with the Country Icon Award, she said. Over two decades, Lambert has distinguished herself as a three-time Grammy winner, a record-setting 39-time Academy of Country Music Award winner, plus the recipient of 14 Country Music Association Awards. She has also achieved seven number one albums and 10 number one radio hits. Moreover, she's succeeded as a successful business woman and entrepreneur, including her Mutt Nation Foundation, which has raised nearly $10 million for rescue animal advocacy. That's all for this edition of Southern Middle Tennessee today on Kennedy Broadcasting, WKOMWKRM Radio. If you ever miss a part or all of this broadcast, you can listen to it anytime or read the transcript online by visiting front porch radio tn.com. It's always there for you. I'll be back tomorrow to update you with the latest news. I'm Tom Price. Thanks for listening. Be safe and have a great day. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (dramatic music)