Front Porch Radio - Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price
Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 3-18-24
[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, March 18th, and we start with local news. A familiar face is said to resume his role on the Murray County Commission later this month. During the March 5th meeting of the Admin Committee, Scott Sumner's was presented as the choice to fill the vacancy in District 5 left by the January resignation of Vincent Fuqua. Fellow District 5 Commissioner Brandon Nutt presented Sumner's to the committee members. "We will miss Mr. Fuqua and his experience in local politics, his intelligence and insight. I believe Scott will serve the people well and I look forward to the opportunity of working alongside him," Nutt said. Sumner served on the County Commission from 2014 to 2022, but opted not to seek re-election two years ago. During his tenure, he served as chairman of the County's Budget Committee. "I believe my service to my constituents and to the county as a whole speak for itself. Circumstances have changed in my life to allow me to be able to do this again, and I would appreciate your support," Sumner said. Sumner's nomination was unanimously advanced by the Admin Committee to the Full Commission, which will vote on the matter this evening. On Friday, Senator Marcia Blackburn paid a visit to Murray County on her 95-county tour. WKOMWKRM's Delk Kennedy caught up to the Senator and spoke to her about what she's learning from Tennessee voters and what issues are important to them. This is Delk Kennedy from Port Trio. Today I'm at a Tennessee Distillery. Senator Marcia Blackburn is in town, and she is on a 95-county tour. That's all 95 counties of Tennessee. Senator Blackburn, welcome to Murray County. Well, I'm delighted to be here, as always, and so excited to be here at Tennessee Distilling. I'm telling you, this is quite a campus. Yes, it is. Now, you're on a 95-county tour. I'm very interested in what you're hearing out in the counties as you speak to people and visit businesses and people and churches and whatever. Yeah, issue number one that people are talking about is that wide open southern border, and they cannot believe that Joe Biden will not secure the southern border. And, you know, this is one of those issues that people are living firsthand. They see fentanyl deaths in their communities. They see the human trafficking, the sex trafficking. They hear about this. They go to church, and they know that their church is working with a ministry that helps women and kids that are being trafficked. And so, this impacts their daily life. They want that southern border secure. They don't want people coming in the country that are here illegally. They want people that are here illegally that commit crimes to be deported and barred from ever coming to the country. The second thing we hear about is inflation, and the impact of that on the family budget. And, you know, I was visiting with one county and a lady was talking and she said, "Who is it that says inflation's only 3%?" Go to the grocery store with me. And she was talking about the cost of food and how much more expensive eggs and milk and bread and those items that she needs every day for three teenagers that are in the house. It's just harder to make ends meet. And I actually pulled the number. Tennesseans are spending over $900 a month just to have the same standard of living they had in 2020, $900, $10,000 a year more to have the same standard of living people want something done about inflation. Yes, they do. And Senator, that certainly matches what we're hearing from our listeners at Kennedy Broadcasting. Those two issues are number one and two. And that's what we hear. Now, I've been hearing about your online safety act. Can you tell me about it? Yes, indeed. The Kids Online Safety Act. This is completely bipartisan. Senator Blumenthal and I have worked on it for three years, going on four years now. And we have 67 members of the Senate that are co-sponsors. What this would do is put the burden on social media to do safety by design, to establish a duty of care, to have a toolbox for kids and parents to make certain that the kids are safe online and to have a portal where parents and kids can report bad actors in the virtual space. So we are excited about it. It looks like we will get it off the floor in the next few weeks and send it over to the house. Wow, that's awesome. Senator Blackburn, welcome to Murray County. Please come back as often as you can. Thank you so much. Thank you. If you're out and about at Chickasaw Trace Park in Columbia on Sunday afternoon starting April 14th, you may see a group of little bellas, 7 to 13 year old girls from for whom mountain biking is their social medium. There's no racing or catching air off big jumps. They aren't even mountains. Instead, there are multiple opportunities for the girls to get together, encourage one another, and experience success as part of the new Columbia Little Bellas program. Open to girls of all abilities, Little Bellas is a mountain bike program whose goal is to help young women reach their fullest potential. The program is a catalyst for the girls to learn about who they are, what they can do, and how to overcome what they think they cannot do. The aim is to create a community to empower women through cycling, accent the importance of goals and a healthy lifestyle, and emphasize a positive female bond. While this program is centered around creating a female camaraderie on bikes, it is most importantly about having fun in a constructive environment. The person responsible for bringing Little Bellas to Columbia is none other than mom, mountain biker, and neurologist, Megan Hall, who is a beginner mountain biker herself just six years ago. She'll be able to connect with Little Bellas on several different levels, with the "not yet" as someone who is also new to mountain biking not too long ago, with the youngest shredders to the more advanced riders who can see in Megan what can be achieved through skills, progression, and practice. As a mom who has those special mom skills, and as a neurologist, whose ability to get kids to wear helmets is a gift to us all. The Columbia Weekly program offers eight recurring sessions from April to June. Open to riders of all abilities, the focus of each session is fun, allowing each girl to make new friends, learn new skills, and build confidence all in a positive, fun environment. In weekly sessions starting on April 14, mentors, girls, and program lead Megan will meet at Chickasaw Trace Park to focus on improving skills and strengthening bonds built outside of classrooms and away from screens. The Columbia Little Bellas program takes place from April 14 through June 9 and has space for up to 25 girls ages 7 to 13. The program is on Sundays from 4 to 6 p.m. The eight-week program includes mentoring, awesome trail riding, snacks, and a Little Bellas custom jersey. More information and registration for the Columbia Little Bellas program can be found at www.littlebellas.configio.com. On Friday, premier chiropractic held a ribbon cutting at their new second location in Columbia. Front porch radio's Mary Susan Kennedy attended the grand opening and spoke to Dr. Erica Montilione about what the new facility can offer its patience. This is Mary Susan Kennedy with Front porch radio and this Friday afternoon I'm in Columbia at a ribbon cutting celebrating the grand opening of the second location of premier chiropractic. And I'm speaking with Dr. Erica, one of the main doctors and owners here. Congratulations Erica. Thank you so much and thank you so much for being here. We're excited to expand into the Columbia community. Well this is super exciting and I understand you have a unique type of chiropractic practice. Can you tell us about that? Yeah we do. So we are what you would call a neurologically based chiropractic office. Really what that means is that our goal is not just to focus on backaches, neckaches, and headaches but more or less the function of your spine through your nervous system. The spine is what houses the nerve organ and when there's different stressors or dysfunctions on the spine itself the nervous system starts to suffer. And so for us it's more or less about full body function than just treatment of symptoms. We do see an arrangement of conditions that present into our office that really a lot of people never thought they could get relief from with chiropractic care such as digestive dysfunction, reproductive dysfunction, allergies, asthma, colic, you name it, your infections and it's really a broad spectrum because it all goes back to the simplicity of focusing on neurologic function through the brain, the spine, and the nervous system. One other thing that we also do have a lot of pride in is that we're specialized in pediatrics and pregnancy care. So we do offer certain certifications to properly care for pregnant mamas as well as specialized in the best care for pediatrics and little babies. That is absolutely amazing. And that's how you need what an asset for our community and what are your days and hours of operation? So right now we're starting with four half days, two mornings into afternoons. One of our most popular times in our Spring Hill office is actually 6 45 to 7 a.m. in the morning. So we are open from 7 to 11 a.m. on both Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as 2 to 6 30 on Mondays and Wednesdays. We try really hard to also offer hours for people who are either commuting to work or of course they have a difficult schedule so that they can of course get the care that they need. Okay so are the Columbia hours different in any way than the Spring Hill hours? No they're very similar. There's just last days that we are here to start but we also do expect that to expand over time and offer more times. Okay so to start off repeat please the Columbia days and hours. Sure so in Columbia Tuesdays and Friday mornings from 7 a.m. till 11 a.m. and then Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 2 p.m. till 6 30 p.m. Well that's perfect for the early bird as well as the person who has to work late. And is there a web presence you'd like to share? So our website is springhalepremierchiro.com for both our Spring Hill and Columbia office. People can go online, read about us as well as book appointments conveniently online. We also do have a good following on social media with both Facebook and Instagram, Instagram @premierchiro and then Facebook premiere chiropractic. Great and is there a number you would like to share or do you prefer people go to the website? I would prefer that they go to the website. We do of course have our office phone that is listed on the website so if somebody would prefer to call they can conveniently find our phone number there. Okay and let's do that website one more time. Okay it would be www.springhillpremierchiro.com Okay perfect again this is Mary season Kennedy with front porch radio. On Saturday the Columbia breakfast rotary hosted their annual shoot for our stars sporting clay shooting tournament. Our own delt Kennedy stopped by and spoke to event organizer Rhonda King to learn more about the fundraiser. This is delt Kennedy front porch radio. Today is Saturday and I'm out at the Murray County Gun Club. It is a beautiful day. There are hundreds I would say gathered here for the fifth annual breakfast rotary shoot for our stars sporting clay tournament to raise funds for local charities. I'm speaking with Rhonda King who is in charge of this year's event. Rhonda congratulations. You've got a very successful event going on here. Thank you very much. We're very excited that everybody came out today to shoot. The weather is beautiful. We've had 22 teams show up today and we have another flight this afternoon so we're very grateful and thankful Columbia Breakfast Rotary Club. This is our fifth year of putting this on and we hope to do it for many more years. Oh wow and everybody right now is enjoying a lunch by a sponsor Chick-fil-A and this afternoon you've been shooting all morning right this afternoon. You're going to continue with teams making rounds is that right? Yes sir we have another flight at one o'clock and you're raising money while you're doing it. What does breakfast rotary do with the money? Yes sir all the money that breakfast rotary raises goes back to our community. This year we're focusing on some youth activities with the Miracle League and we're also doing some activities with one generation. Now tell me what one generation is. That is a food bank where we all give food to local families in the community. That is all amazing. Again Delp Kennedy from Portraillo, very kind of gun club Saturday morning and a very successful shooting for our stars event by Columbia Breakfast Rotary. Raising money for local charities. We're on to King. Congratulations one more time. Thank you very much. Also on Saturday Mount Pleasant held their annual cruising on the Square Antique Car Festival. Our own man on the street Delp Kennedy visited the festival and spoke to a number of the attendees. This is Delp Kennedy from Portraillo. This afternoon Saturday afternoon I am in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee. They're having cruising on the square here. There are more classic cars than you can possibly imagine. There's a huge crowd, there's music, bouncy houses, food. It's all going on right here in downtown Mount Pleasant, Tennessee. Now I've found Haverly Pennington who is the director of Main Street Mount Pleasant. Haverly you're having a wonderful event here today. It's packed in their classic cars everywhere. We are so excited and we're raising money for the Mount Pleasant Library summer reading programs. All the proceeds for voting for the cars to win as well as the raffle tickets are supporting the library summer reading program. That's absolutely amazing. Looks like you're going to have a big success with that today. Now you've got another project as well. So on June 1st we are hosting our first touch-a-truck program. We have 13 cars confirmed already. Everything from construction trucks, fire trucks, police trucks, EMS, any kind of truck you think a little kid would love. We're going to have them there. And the event kicks off the summer reading program for the Mount Pleasant Library. And we are actually still looking for sponsors for that event. So if you're interested feel free to reach out to us at Visit Mount Pleasant TN or you can give us a shout on an email, Haverly, at VisitMount Pleasant TN.com. Oh wow fantastic things going on at Mount Pleasant. Again, Delle Kennedy front porch radio. I'm on the Square Mount Pleasant, Tennessee with big crowd, classic cars, a lot of fun being had, and the afternoon's not over. I'm standing beside a beautifully restored 1949 Studebaker pickup truck. I'm speaking with Pat Nelson. Pat Nelson is the owner. Pat, this belonged to your late husband, correct? Yes, that's correct. It was his dream and here it is in Mount Pleasant. How long did it take him to bring it to the condition we see at the end of the day? Oh my goodness, a number of years, at least four years. Yes. It was an old farm truck and we bought it at an auction and was able to drive it home and totally restored from there. Wow. And I'm also speaking with Pat's friend Rick Stavley, who I say you're a Rick, you're a friend of her late husband as well. So can you give us some details about this 1947 Studebaker pickup? Yeah, it's independent front suspension, just brakes, drum brakes, 350 Chevrolet engine, late-mile turbo-hydramatic power steering, air conditioning, drives down the road like a dream, needs nothing, 30,000 miles since built. Wow, it's a gorgeous vehicle. Now, Pat Nelson, you're seeking to sell it. If somebody out there is interested in a 1947 Studebaker, how do they get in touch? By phone. If you're interested in this vehicle, contact Rick Stavley. Rick, can you give out a number? Yes. 931-446-0759. Let's do that one more time. 931-446-0759. There we go. Again, Delt, Kennedy, the square in Mount Pleasant. It's classic car day cruising on the square. I'm standing next to a gorgeous blue 1947 Studebaker pickup truck, meticulously restored. I'm speaking with Pat Nelson, whose late husband owned it, and also speaking with Rick Stavley, a friend of her husband, and the person you contact. If you're interested in buying this gorgeous Studebaker, Pat, are you having a good day? Having a beautiful day. Yes, a lot of good people, nice looking cars. There we go. Rick, thanks so much. Hey, thank you very much. For your southern middle Tennessee weather, we will have partly cloudy skies today with cooler temperatures. The high will be 47 degrees with winds out of the northwest at 10 to 20 miles per hour. Tonight, we can expect clear skies with a hard freeze expected. The low will be 23 degrees with winds out of the northwest at 5 to 10 miles per hour. 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. 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 and 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 Matt and Susie Sowell believe the way to honor tradition is with especially personal service. We believe your traditions, your customs, your rites of passage are very important, but we also believe in taking care of your personal wishes as well. At Oaks and Nichols, 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. Oaks and Nichols funeral directors, 320 West 7th Street in Columbia, since 1856, people you can rely on. 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 puts your family first. For Auto Home, Life or Business Insurance, Sea 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 estimate Sands 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, Troughwood Avenue, Columbia. Are you a homeowner looking to unlock the potential of your home equity? Explore a home equity loan with first farmers. Hi, this is Felicia Brown with First Farmers and we would like to invite you to access funds with a home equity loan. For home improvements, invest in education or simplify your finances. You can make your dreams a reality with the power of your home equity. Get started today. Apply online at myfirstfarmers.com or call to speak with one of our team specialists at 1-800-882-8378 Equal Housing Linder. This is Trey Ickock 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. News from around the state. At 4.08 PM on Thursday, the Tennessee State University Board of Trustees adjourned without any promise of returning. A Republican-backed bill working its way through the Tennessee legislature seeks to vacate the board entirely and would leave it to Governor Bill Lee to appoint new members. The move comes amid years of scrutiny over the historically black university's finances and leadership, and as the board searches for a new president, it also comes as the results of a forensic audit commissioned last year by lawmakers, which is still pending. The bill has stirred intense controversy over $2.1 billion in historic underfunding of TSU by the state and disparities in how TSU has been treated by lawmakers. TSU leaders have pleaded with lawmakers to extend their current board and give them more time to course correct. TSU President Glenda Glover said she hopes to get the conversation back on the $2.1 billion in historic underfunding of the university by the state. That number stems from a federal report of underfunding at several historically black colleges and universities nationwide, with TSU topping the list. Glover revisited her proposal on how the state can pay back the underfunding over the course of five years. She also said she's hopeful that Democratic representative Harold Love and others will succeed in reaching a compromise that will retain at least some of the current board members. Glover also spoke to the ongoing audit, which some lawmakers have indicated is delayed because TSU had not provided all the documents requested. "We have not been responsible for any delays pertaining to the forensic audit," Glover said. In fact, she said the firm hired by lawmakers to conduct the audit has often complimented the university for how timely it's been in their responses. "A safe and controlled sedative intended only for large animals like horses is becoming an increasingly popular adulterant to substances like fentanyl, prompting flesh-eating skin ulcerations in humans, earning it the app slang term of the zombie drug. Created in the 1960s, Xylazine was appointed by the approved rather by the Federal Drug Administration in 1972 as an animal safe pharmaceutical. In 2022, the FDA issued a nationwide warning to healthcare professionals about the exposure of Xylazine in illicit substances and its inherent life-threatening side effects. Today, the misuse of the sedative is reflected in the increasing identification of its traces in connection to overdose deaths. An affliction nearly every state is being confronted with, Tennessee is no exception. Emerging first in the eastern region, Xylazine has now permeated the entirety of the state. To the naked eye, Xylazine is innocuous. The colorless odorous liquid needs about three milliliters to quickly sedate a 1200-pound horse for a 30-45-minute procedure. This includes routine tasks like sewing lacerations and pulling teeth. Using a dosage conversion of approximately 1 cubic centimeter per 400 pounds, a 100-pound deer could need 0.25 milliliters. Xylazine goes by several street names like Trank, dubbed for its tranquilizing properties in animals, and the zombie drug for its seemingly zombie-inducing behavior in humans. It suppresses one's heart rate, blood pressure, and substantially slows brain activity. A central nervous system depressant triggers the CNS's alpha-2 receptors, inhibiting the release of dopamine and resulting in sedation. On its own, Xylazine does not induce a high the same as something like fentanyl, whose potency is 50 to 100 times greater than that of morphine. When mixed with opioids like fentanyl, whose effects alone are powerful, Trank is the catalyst in increasing lethality and prolonging a user's high for hours. 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. Good Macaula 931-388-6822. If you're 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, their 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 in Osborne.com that's Turner and Osborne.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 convenient Southern Middle Tennessee locations by calling 931-380-4014. Murray Regional Health, where clinical excellence meets compassionate 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 Tree across from the fire station. We're also in line at huntercarry.com. That's Hunter C-A-R-Y.com. Welcome back to Southern Middle Tennessee today and now our final story. The longest-running country music festival in the world is back. The Country Music Association has announced the initial lineup for the 51st CMA Fest in downtown Nashville, Thursday through Sunday, June 6th through the 9th. From free outdoor performances throughout downtown Nashville to can't miss lineups at Nissan Stadium and Descent and for theater, attendees can catch hundreds of artists across 10 stages throughout the four-day festival. You can find tickets now by visiting www.cmafest.com/tickets. That's all for this edition of Southern Middle Tennessee today on WKOMWKRM Radio. 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.