Front Porch Radio - Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price
Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 3-08-24
(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. (upbeat music) Today is Friday, March 8th, and we start with local news. The Murray County Board of Education voted this week to extend current superintendent Lisa Ventura's contract for another four years to February 28th of 2028. The board met Tuesday prior to Super Tuesday's primary election, which included multiple school board races, some of which were unopposed, though no discussion was had of the races or how they might affect Tuesday's vote with the current board. District 10 board member Wayne Lindsay had requested Ventura's contract extension be added to Tuesday's agenda, saying it's the right time based on the superintendent's recent annual evaluation and feedback. We completed her yearly evaluation a few months ago and looking at the results of that evaluation, Mrs. Ventura is very favorable, Lindsay said. And feedback I get from the district, from employees and parents is that morale is high in our district and we are on an upward trajectory, even though we have lots and lots of work still to do, but we are on a good path, he said. Ventura received an overall evaluation score of three and a half out of five. Tuesday's meeting also included proposals for a salary increase for Ventura, first motioned by district two member Betty Kinzer, which would have extended Ventura's buyout as stated in a contract from six months to 12 months, as well as a 3% cost of living raise. Since Mrs. Ventura has been superintendent, we've had a 10% raise and a 7%, which is probably all total of the seven years since I've been on, Kinzer said, she did not get any of those raises and actually makes less money than we paid the last two superintendents, she said. The motion, however, failed when brought to a vote. A second motion was made by district 11 member Jackson Carter, who supported the raise, but wanted to maintain the six month buyout per venture as contract. Carter's motion, while not granting an automatic raise, makes Ventura eligible for one, if a raise is approved by Murray County Public School certified staff in the future, that motion passed. School board chair Will Sim said, after looking at the recent superintendent annual evaluation, he agreed that the majority were very complimentary of venture as work thus far as superintendent, but that there is much work still to do as a district. I do think that this extension is worthy at this time. We want to keep you around for four more years. Sims told Ventura at Tuesday's meeting, which was followed by an applause by board members and spectators in the audience. After the vote, Ventura said she appreciated the contract extension and the continued work of the school board with high hopes for the next four years moving forward. Thank you to the board for putting your trust in me. "I am humbled and honored every day to lead the 13,000 kids and the 2,000 employees that we are blessed to have in Murray County Public Schools," Ventura said. "Again, I've been humbled by the support and the continued cheering on at Murray County Public Schools. I appreciate you more than words can say," she said. Yesterday, SRS building products held their grand opening and ribbon cutting. Front porch radios Mary Susan Kennedy attended the event and spoke to managers Brody Burris and Evan White to learn more about what the new Spring Hill business offers its customers. - Good afternoon. This is Mary Susan Kennedy with Front porch radio. This afternoon, I'm at a ribbon cutting celebrating the grand opening of SRS building products. And I'm speaking with Brody Burris, the branch manager. - How you doing? - And also Evan White, the assistant branch manager. - Hey, everyone. - First, I'm very excited to learn all about Charles business. This is a big operation. Tell us about your products and services. Who wants to go first, Brody? - So we are a building product distribution company. We have over 500 branches across the country. We specialize in roofing products. We have branches that also specialize in siting, drywall, commercial roofing as well. - That's amazing. And what type of client do you serve? - We service anybody from the homeowner to your residential contractor all the way up to national builders and custom builders. - Okay, can individuals contact you or do they need to work through their contractor or builder? Just curious. - We have a wealth of knowledge. Our staff here is very well equipped to help anyone that comes in with questions. We have a great network of contractors and builders that we are more than happy to recommend a homeowner to, but any homeowner is, we absolutely love them coming in and allowing them to learn about it. - Well, that's a very valuable service. And what is your service area? Evan, you wanna take that one? - We cover, so we have branches all over the country, but here in Spring Hill we mainly focus on middle Tennessee. - Great, so you can go south, northeast, west, all around middle Tennessee. Perfect. And for folks interested, what is the best way to contact you? - You can feel free to reach out to any of our branches here in Tennessee. We're located in Spring Hill, Nashville, Clarksville, Knoxville, and Memphis, as well as Chattanooga. You can pull us up online looking up SRS building products or SRS distribution. There's a catalog with any phone number for any specific branch that's closest to you. - Okay, and is there a web presence you'd like to share? - SRSbuildingproducts.com. Like I said, can go and look up any of our staff at any single branch. We go and sponsor nationally, multiple football games, NFL and college football from east coast to west coast, so. - Well, that's really cool. Well, congratulations. I know in this area with the development and growth, you're just gonna do fabulous. Again, this is Mary Susan Kennedy with Frontport Radio. - Despite gray skies and damp roads, friends, family, and community members, recently gathered on Alexander Street in Columbia to celebrate the town's newest homeowners. D'Angelo and Tierra Baddis always dreamed of owning a home, but they didn't qualify for any traditional mortgages, they said, noting that their prior living situation was unsafe and overcrowded. The couple's three daughters, Gabriella seven, Mariana's five and Mariana three had all shared one bedroom. The Williamson-Marie Habitat for Humanity organization stepped into help, making sure the Baddis family's dream of owning a house is no longer just a dream. It's now a reality. Funding and volunteer labor for the family's new home was a Westhaven community effort. Since September, more than 160 Westhaven volunteers have spent their weekends building the house. They logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours, including time and donations from local partners, including the Westhaven Foundation, Southern Land Company and California Closets. There has been about $70,000 given towards the project, official said. "We just wanted to say thank you to everyone," Tierra Baddis said during the Saturday dedication of the new house. "Thank you for building our home," she said. The dedication ceremony also marked the couple's completion of the home ownership program, which included 200 hours of sweat equity, budget coaching, and home buyer education. While Habitat for Humanity helps to build homes, they aren't given away for free, organizer said. Each family has to show they can pay an affordable mortgage, which, for the Baddis family, is a 30-year mortgage, official said. On Saturday, all the work seemed to be worth it, as the smiles and keys were exchanged. The children were ready for bedrooms of their own, and the couple seemed eager to enjoy their new space. More information on Habitat for Humanity's work in Williamson, Murray Counties, can be found at www.hfhwm.org. Last night, Greymere Country Club held the spring ball for the Murray County Junior Catillion, WKOM, WKRM's Mary Susan Kennedy stopped by to learn more about what Junior Catillion does for the youth in the community. - This is Mary Susan Kennedy with Front Portrait IDO. And this evening, I am at the Greymere Country Club in Columbia to learn more about the Murray County Junior Catillion organization. Tonight is their spring ball. And I'm talking to the director of the organization, Cam Wallace. Congratulations, Cam, this looks lovely. Tell us about the mission of the Junior Catillion. - Sure, absolutely. I'm so thrilled to be here at Greymere Country Club. And the mission for Junior Catillion is to teach young people how to treat others with honor, dignity, and respect. And we do that so they can have better relationships in middle school and high school and going forward into the future in college and just in life. And we focus a lot on all the social graces, manners, etiquette, and we do ballroom dancing as well. - Oh, that sounds like so much fun. What every parent and grandparent would love for their children to learn. And what age young people are eligible to join? - Yes, here in Murray County currently we offer the program to boys and girls in fifth grade through eighth grade. And it's a two year program. And we meet once a month during the school year. We start in September and we go through March. And typically we meet on Sunday afternoons and then we also have two balls. We have a winter ball and we have a spring ball. And we're really excited to be here at Greymere Country Club for our grand finale, our final event of our spring ball. That is awesome. And how would interested parents contact you for information? I seem to sign up in advance for next year's session. - Absolutely, we'll be posting the dates very soon for our next season. And you can go to our website. If you just get on the internet and search Junior Catillion Murray County, our website will come up. Or if you're on Facebook, you can do the same thing. Search Junior Catillion Murray County and you'll get to our Facebook page. And you can register via mail or online. And you sign up for the next school year which will start in September. And is there a deadline for sign up? Typically I'm pretty lenient on the deadline but we like to have everything locked and loaded by September 1st so we know exactly how many young people to expect and we try to have a balance between our young gentlemen and our young ladies so we can get started in September. - That makes total sense. And where did the sessions take place? - Most of our sessions are downtown Columbia at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in their parish hall. St. Peter's has been a wonderful partner and they have a beautiful facility there. And then for our spring ball, which is the grand finale, we're here at the Greymere Country Club. - That sounds great. I'm also delighted tonight to introduce Teresa and Lee Hook's parents of some participants. I wanna hear the parental perspective. Teresa, you got first. - Oh, it's just been lovely. It's something really special with my son. He learns things better from other people than from me. So imagine that. - And you know, just the social graces, the things that are just kind of lost in today's manners, like pulling up the chair, opening doors for ladies, young ladies, it's just been wonderful. In the last session, we got to have a mommy Sundance and it was, I mean, it just brought tears to my eyes. It was just so sweet. - That is absolutely lovely. And daddy, Lee, what do you think? - She's pretty much summed it up, but it's great to see my 11 year old son, Colton, learn manners, dance with his mom, learn the social graces, learn how to do little things, like set the plates and stuff at the table. I think it's just a great, great thing for young kids. - That sounds perfect. And last, but certainly not least, I have some of the participants. I'm gonna go first with a young gentleman, Garrett Sutton. Garrett, what has been your favorite thing about Junior Catillion so far? - My favorite thing about Junior Catillion is the company and some of my friends go here with me. - That, I'm sure makes it tons more fun, right? Colton, what have you learned? - So I've learned about etiquette and how to ballroom dance. - Wow, do you enjoy ballroom dancing? - Yeah, once you get into the flow, it gets fun. - That is wonderful and very last, but in maybe a little bit older participant, Mary Flannery Griffin. I gather this is your second year in the program. What do you think? - It's been lots of fun. I enjoy getting to meet new people and I get to learn the life school of dancing. - That is wonderful. Well, this has been so much fun getting to meet y'all and getting to learn more about what this is about. I think every parent and grandparents dream for their children to learn these lovely skills. Again, this is Mary Season Kennedy with Frontport Radio. - For many veterans coming home after their time in service, it can often be the hardest of times, but many also find there are opportunities to find a healing voice, quite literally. The tilted Mule located at 102 Depot Street in Columbia's Arts District has hosted a monthly Stop 22 Veterans Open Mic Night, which is now approaching its one year anniversary. The event has been a place where vets, as well as supporters, can grab a guitar, sing a few songs and tell stories about how service life has had an impact on them. The Stop 22 nonprofit, founded by Stephen Cochran of Murfreesboro, was started as a mission to address and prevent the average suicide rate of veterans, which is reportedly 22 per day on average, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Former U.S. Army vet Malachius Gaskin, founder of the Columbia Open Mic Night, began the event in April of last year. To him, it's one of many outlets he believes helps benefit veterans adjusting to life while creating a community of support that is purely organic, not to mention, a lot of fun. "All the money we raise from this goes to support local veterans in Murray County," Gaskin said. "And we've had great people come up to play every month. Like last month, we had Sal Gonzalez play and he was on America's Got Talent," he said. "The important thing is that we are all veterans or have some ties to veterans." Gaskin added that veterans are constantly struggling in many ways when returning back from combat life, whether they're dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, finding work or shelter, which made up much of his experience. "In 2006, I was homeless, but now I was able to purchase a farm here in Columbia," Gaskin said. "I wear six bracelets on my arm every day for friends I lost while serving. And I have dealt with suicide since I've retired from the Army and with music and my gardening, along with kids. It's why I'm still standing today," he said. Tilted Mule co-founder Kevin Pierce, a U.S. Air Force vet, said he loves the opportunity to host monthly open mics. Not only does it provide a space for veterans to gather, share stories and hear good music, but also inspire others to join in. It kind of started off quiet, but has definitely grown over the last year, Pierce said. "It's great hearing them tell their stories or about why they come here. It's good for us, but it's great for them," he said. In addition to the open mic nights, Gaskin has also been a devoted supporter of vets coming home in many other ways. He is a published author of the book Warrior's Garden, which he founded as a nonprofit in 2016 and played a big role in another Columbia project last year. In May of 2023, Gaskin founded Columbia's own Warrior's Garden, a community garden for veterans to raise crops and cultivate produce using their hands and working together. After nearly one year, Gaskin says the garden has grown, quite literally, and produced many plantings that have been donated to local food pantries and other veteran-centric nonprofits in hopes to see more opportunities crop up in the future. "We're closed for the winter, but so far, we've donated close to 300 pounds to harvest your food bank, had over 25 families come out and get donated to as well," Gaskin said. "So it went well for the first year." As a musician, Gaskin said events like the veteran's open mic are another form of therapy, much like the community garden, where soldiers can not only share their talents with an audience, but provides a space to channel their experiences into art, much like cultivating a garden. The tilted mules' monthly open mic, while focused on veterans, is not exclusive to anyone who is suited up and been sent on a mission overseas, but anyone with a love and passion for those defending the country. Mickey Womack and Bob Virgin, known as Womack and Virgin, regularly perform at the open mic, and while not being servicemen themselves, they have a deep gratitude for anyone willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. "It's a good thing for the community," Womack said. "We weren't in the military, but our people were, like my brothers, uncles, and grandfathers. We can't thank them enough," he said. Murray County has many organizations, non-profits, as well as veteran service office for local soldiers, providing anything from funding, food drives, therapy, and in this case, a platform to perform. Many of Murray County's local veterans' service non-profits often preach the importance of camaraderie, togetherness, and finding hobbies that can bring fellow soldiers together. It can be saddling up for a few beers at Asgard Brewing Company in Taproom during its weekly Wednesday vet-to-vet nights, strapping into an off-road vehicle with on-mission motor sports, or through the art of music on a night with friends and fellow supporters. The next veteran's open mic event is scheduled for Thursday, March 21st. And no of your home town memorials sponsored by Oak's Inocles Funeral Home. James Robert Tucker, a lifelong farmer from Shady Grove, passed away on March 1st at the age of 76. There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, March 16th at 11 a.m. at Edgewood Baptist Church in Duck River, Tennessee. A gathering of friends and family will proceed the service starting at 9 a.m. Home town memorials is sponsored by Oak's Inocles 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 Oak's Inocles, we believe it's first, at all ways, 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 Oak's Inocles Funeral Directors, we haven't lost sight of why we're here to serve Murray County families in the ways they prefer. And why Matt and Susie Sowo believe the way to honor tradition is with especially personal service. We believe your traditions, your customs, your rights and passage are very important, but we also believe in taking care of your personal wishes as well. At Oak's Inocles, we try to do more than just the expected things. So the service you receive honors your heritage and is uniquely yours, and we invite you to experience the difference. Oak's Inocles Funeral Directors, 320 West 7th Street in Columbia. Since 1856, people you can rely on. For your Southern Middle Tennessee weather, we will have showers throughout the day today with some thunderstorms possible. The high will reach 66 degrees with winds out of the South-South East at 10 to 20 miles per hour. There's an 80% chance of rain. Tonight, we can expect showers and then a steady rain overnight. More thunderstorms are possible. The low will be near 55 degrees with winds calming a bit out of the South at five to 10 miles per hour. The chance of overnight rain, 70%. For your weekend forecast, we will see clouds with occasional light rain on Saturday, mainly early in the day. The high will be 57 degrees. Temps will drop overnight Saturday to around 34 degrees. On Sunday, we'll have sunny skies and a high of 55. Clear skies mean cooler temps. We'll get down to around 30 degrees on Sunday night. 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. (chuckles) 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. In a 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. Bank with first farmers and you can bank with confidence with personalized solutions, dedicated experts. And over a century of experience, first farmers let you feel secure and empowered in your financial choices. This is Felicia Brown with First Farmers, and I would like to remind you that no matter your goals, First Farmers is here for you. Visit myfirstfarmers.com or call 1-800-882-8378 to switch to First Farmers today, member FDIC. - This is Trey Hancock 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. - Your home is your biggest investment. Getting the most for it when it comes time to sell is important. At the Way Realty, we help you get more by providing all our clients with a full service real estate company. At no extra cost to you, we help you prepare your house to look its best. With home staging, landscaping, professional pictures, marketing and all the major websites, touch-up repairs and home inspection repairs up to $700. Get more with the Way Realty by reaching out to us to see what we can do for you and to find out the market value of your home. Visit us today at thewayrealttn.com. Call us at 931-580-4669 or stop by our showroom at 800 Hatcher Lane, Columbia, Tennessee. - Welcome back to Southern Middle Tennessee today on WKOM 101.7 and WKRM 103.7. This program is sponsored in part by George Virilis and the great team at the Way Realty. I'm Tom Price. And now news from around the state. - You guys, army soldier for Campbell wasn't indicted on charges of selling national defense secrets to China, US attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Henry C. Leventus announced on Thursday. Corbine Schultz was an army intelligence analyst with the first battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell, Leventus said. He was arrested earlier Thursday. He traded our national defense information for cash. Leventus said he received $42,000. The indictment charges Schultz with six counts, including conspiracy to unlawfully communicate defense information, unlawful export of defense articles to China and bribery of a public official, Leventus said. The indictment alleges that starting in June of 2022, Schultz collected and shared with a co-conspirator in China information about US military operations, including advanced fighter aircraft, advanced military helicopters, intercontinental ballistic missiles, high mobility artillery rocket systems, defense missiles, Chinese military tactics lens said. Leventus made the announcement at 3 p.m. on Thursday in the Fred D. Thompson US courthouse in downtown Nashville. He was joined by FBI special agent in charge, Douglas D. Podesta. President Joe Biden nominated Henry Leventus as US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in July of 2022, and the US Senate confirmed him in December. The incident follows shortly after a civilian US Air Force employee in Nebraska was arrested for allegedly sharing a classified information on a foreign dating website with a person claiming to be a Ukrainian woman. David Franklin Slater, 63, was arrested on March 2nd on charges of conspiring to transmit and transmitting classified information about Russia's war in Ukraine over a three month period in early 2022 at the beginning of Russia's invasion. Let's take one last break. When we come back, we'll cover the final story of the day. You're listening to Southern Middle Tennessee today. Turner and Osborne Tire Company 1016 South Main Street in Columbia. Give a call at 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 and his professional staff or check them out online at Turner and Osborne.com. That's Turner and Osborne.com. Looking for a physician? Choosing a healthcare provider for your family is one of the most important decisions you will make. Murray Regional Medical Group delivers primary care for individuals of all ages from newborns to adults and has an array of specialists ranging from endocrinologists to urologists. With locations in Murray, Lewis, Marshall, and Wayne counties, our experienced team can provide you with quality care close to home. For more information, visit Murrayregionalmedicalgroup.com. Murray Regional Medical Group. Your health is our primary care. Have you ever wondered if your insurance needs can be personalized? This is Hunter Carey. Our team specializes in planning your insurance needs to get you the best possible solution. State Farm is the largest home and auto insurer in the country. I love bringing that to my hometown. Born and raised in Columbia, I'm grateful for our close community ties. We offer help with home, auto, and life insurance for everyone in our community. Our office is located at 909 South Garden Street across from the fire station. We're also in line at HunterCarry.com. That's HunterC-A-R-Y.com. Welcome back to Southern Middle Tennessee today and now our final story. This week, it invites lovers of good craft beer to join together for Columbia's annual Winterfest Beer Blast, the yearly beer fest, which starts at 6 p.m. Friday. We'll feature many local breweries, regional distributors, and even a few home brewers, all set up for samples and tastings with all proceeds benefiting Columbia Cares. Columbia Cares is a nonprofit which offers care with HIV and AIDS, not only serving Columbia, but patients within the Middle South Tennessee region. Tickets are $35 per person and is 21 and up, taking place at the factory at Columbia located at 101 North James M. Campbell Boulevard. For more information, call 615-499-1292. That's all for this edition of Southern Middle Tennessee today on Kennedy Broadcasting WKOMWKRM Radio. I'll be back on Monday to update you with the latest news. I'm Tom Price. Thanks for listening. Be safe and have a great weekend. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)