Front Porch Radio - Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price
Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 5-20-24
(upbeat music) - Hello, welcome into Southern Middle Tennessee today. I'm Chris Yao filling in for Tom Price as we continue this vacation for Tom and start a brand new week here in Southern Middle Tennessee. Glad to be with you. Tom will be back later this week and you'll be able to get rid of me. But until then I'm bringing you all the news that is news from across Southern Middle Tennessee live from the W Matthews Nashville Realty newsroom right here in Coolumbia. We'll start as we do each and every day with news from right here locally. A Columbia State Community College professor is missing after being hit by a rogue wave while walking along a shoreline in Brazil. According to the college, the professor and three students were walking on an ocean side road and stopped to take photographs when a wave hit them. The three students are safe and I believe were not seriously injured when the wave struck said Amy Spears spokesperson for Columbia State. Unfortunately, our professor is still missing. Search and rescue operations by Brazilian authorities were launched immediately and I understand they are still underway. The Tennessee students and professor were among a group of 12 who were in Brazil on a study abroad program officials said of the 12, eight are reportedly from Pellissippi State in Knoxville, two from Columbia State and one each from Walter State and Southwest Tennessee Community College. Columbia State did not provide the name of the professor but did say they are greatly saddened by the incident. Our college family was greatly saddened to hear of the tragic accident that happened on the TNCIS study abroad trip in Brazil. We are thankful that no students were seriously injured. Our thoughts and prayers remain with our professor and family as we await additional information from Brazilian search and rescue efforts said Janet Smith, Columbia State president. School officials said these students are being provided with counseling and early transportation has been arranged. No additional details were immediately available. As the school year comes to an end, the city recognized this year's mayor's youth council at City Hall and shed some light recently on the group's project to better utilize the Duck River. The group gathered at City Hall during the council's main regular meeting and were joined by council members and Chaz Mulder who founded the youth council as a way for young people to better understand the workings of local government as well as undertake a project that could benefit the local community. This year was the first since the council's founding in 2021 that it had grown beyond Columbia, Mulder said. Noting that schools were being represented this year from all across the county. We've had county schools represented, city schools represented, private schools and homeschools represented Mulder said. It's just been really unique seeing the service that these young people have already committed themselves to making their community a better place. Former Mount Pleasant principal, Dr. Ryan Jackson, who helped facilitate the group's project, also recognized its work and potential for the community's youth. I knew this was gonna be cool, but I wanted to challenge the council in such a way that we can empower young people and do something special, Jackson said. We came up with a challenge for these students that would empower them in such a way to make a direct impact in their community and it started with this idea of environmental conservation. Earlier this year, the Duck River was named among the top endangered rivers in the nation. The designation was primarily due to its over usage caused by rapid growth in the region officials have noted. For the Youth Council's project, students were broken up into teams of two teams with goals in mind. The first goal was for the students to create a policy as if they were part of an actual city council. The second goal was for them to take that policy and create a social media outreach campaign to maximize its influence. They truly stepped up to the plate when above and beyond created not only some very interesting policy ideas for the mayor to chew on, but then knocked it out of the park with their social media outreach videos, Jackson said. They did absolutely amazing. Council members were later shown three videos created by the students, each offering facts and data about the Duck River. It's biodiversity and ways residents can benefit from conserving their water usage. And not only saves people a few bucks on their monthly power bills, but ensures the Duck River can continue to thrive. The social media campaign was also part of a contest wherein the mayor and council, which used the best to post on social media. After seeing all three, Mulder made an executive decision to post not just one, but all of them to the McEwen group, website and the city of Columbia's government social media pages. Murray County Public Schools announced the promotion of Ms. April Hartison to the position of principal at Marvin Wright Elementary School. With 11 years of administrative experience at Woodard and Marvin Wright Elementary, Ms. Hartison brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to her new role. Hartison boasts an impressive educational background having completed her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Freed Hardinman University. She furthered her studies with a master's in curriculum and instruction specializing in early childhood education from Middle Tennessee State and obtained an ed S in administration and supervision from the same institution. Her teaching career spans 15 years across Murray and Williamson counties, where she taught both kindergarten and second grade. Hartison's commitment to excellence in education was recognized with the attainment of her national board certification while teaching in Williamson County. Hartison served as an instructional coach at Woodard for one year, collaborating with students and teachers alike. She then transitioned into a leadership position as Assistant Principal at Woodard Elementary for four years before joining Marvin Wright in 2017, where she continued to serve as Assistant Principal for the past seven years. Superintendent Lisa Ventura expressed confidence in Hartison's ability to lead Marvin Wright Elementary School to continued success, saying Ms. Hartison's extensive experience in dedication to education make her the perfect fit for the role of Principal at Marvin Wright Elementary. Her leadership will undoubtedly contribute to the school's ongoing commitment to academic excellence and student achievement. Finding a place to call home can mean more than four walls. Sometimes it's about community, especially when a place is right in the heart of a thriving downtown. The Onclave is one of downtown Columbia's newest residential developments and its developers say it's set to change the game for living opportunity and more, located just off East 9th Street and the South Main Streets in Columbia. It will include 16 units with primarily townhome-like layouts that include each three stories, a driving garage, lots of natural light and picture-esque views of downtown. The first four units have already been completed with the rest estimated to be ready sometime in 2025. Over the last year and a half, owner Dawson Reigns and his wife Whitney have been hard at work on the project, which has involved a lot of approvals, inspections and assessments about whether downtown Columbia was ready for something like this. After all, the Reigns say the Onclave once completed will be the first of its kind for the district. We feel like we've become a part of the community since we chose to develop here, but meeting other business owners and other people, it makes us feel part of the community. And when people are seeing these units, they're seeing certain patterns starting to develop in downtown. It's a big part of not just what people can get with the building, but in part of being in the community. Dawson Reigns said, "Hailing from Ontario, Canada, "Rains and his wife moved to Columbia in 2011, "after many visits, some of which left a lasting impression "that something good is happening here, "and we want to be a part of it. "I've had family in Ann Arbor, Michigan, "my grandparents for half my life in Florida. "I've been snowboarding it, as they call it, "coming down for six months to get away from cold weather," he said. The U.S. has been just like a second home. We love it down here, especially Tennessee, because there's so much to see and so much to go to. In particular, they had their sights settled in downtown Columbia. And of the Onclave 16 units, no two units will be exactly alike. Basically, when I was looking at design, it was open concept, big windows, and a lot of natural light, which has really been received well, Dawson said. I think once we get people moved in here, when everything is lit up at night, it's really going to intensify this corner. This could include something different, like color schemes, positioning, and other certain visual aesthetics. We're doing four different designs that are set, whereas if one's sold, you've got the choice of the next three. Price points include somewhere between $475,000 to $485,000. And each unit is, again, set up with three stories with three bedrooms, a two-car garage dining room, full and half bathrooms, as well as spacious walk-in closets and pantries. There's also space for laundry and an outdoor terrace for lounging. As far as pets are concerned, Dawson Rain says they are welcome within reason. The units have been designed to provide decent soundproofing for residents. While developing, selling, and providing a home for future residents is the goal, the rains also feel like what they're offering goes far beyond a standing structure, but a lifestyle. This is part of why they say they chose Columbia downtown specifically, as the enclave will provide walkability to events like first Fridays, not to mention private parking for things like parades, the New Year's Mule Drop, and other major celebrations. Beyond having first-rate access, it's about building a community that continues to grow and has a lot more on the way over the next few years. This includes Columbia's first high-rise apartment complex, The Drake, which broke around earlier this year. When people ask about Columbia and aren't aware of it, we love telling them about how great it is, Dawson Rain said. There's so much more to offer now that Columbia does. We want people to know that while you are buying here, there's a vast number of other things this city tries to bring to the people. A lot of people really don't know about that. For more information on the enclave, visit Muletown Development's website at muletowndevelopments.com, or call Whitney Raines at 615-878-6690. In pressing the search committee with her level of preparation, John Stewart has been named as Columbia Central's new girls basketball coach. She's already seen film. She was aware of who was graduating. She was aware of who's coming back. She knew the type of offense we ran. She knew the type of defense we ran. She was all of our number one choice at Central Assistant Athletics Director and former Lady Lines Coach Megan Moore in confirming Stewart's hire this week. Stewart's preparation and passion precluded her lack of previous experience. The 24-year-old recently completed two years as a graduate assistant at Heidelberg University and NCAA Division III School in Tiffin, Ohio after playing collegially at Jacksonville, Florida and Southeast Missouri State. Age is just a number, Moore said. Whenever you look at her resume, the detail, the extensiveness, and understanding all of the things a program takes, not just the exes and those, but the administrative side as well. But most importantly, it was also her ability to grow athletes, the developmental piece, and someone that plans to be around for a while. What she's been a blessing, what's really been a blessing is she and I have already formed a relationship. Being able to really talk to each other, and even outside of the interview, she has hands down ready to take over this program in its current state and continue to grow it. And I'm excited to be able to watch her do that. Those girls definitely deserve Joan. Moore spent three seasons at Columbia Central, leading the 2022-23 team to a District 12 4A Tournament Championship and a berth in the Region 6 4A Tournament semifinals. Last year, the Lady Lines were in the Associated Press statewide class 4A top 10 rankings for multiple weeks, and finished 23 and nine, marking the program's first 21 campaign in 10 years. I'm definitely super excited to get to Columbia, Stuart said. I've been playing basketball all my life, and Columbia seemed like a perfect place I could come and really have an impact. I saw how last year they had a lot of success, and I feel like I can maintain that and really make an impact and mentor the girls, make sure they're staying on the right track. It's bigger than basketball. It's deeper than that for me. I want to make an impact on and off the court. A 2018 graduate of Memphis Central, Stuart played in consecutive class 3A state tournaments, her sophomore and junior seasons with the Lady Warriors finishing as runner-up in 2017. When it comes to knowing the game and having a passion for it, I'm that girl. So I didn't have any hesitation when it came to accepting this job. I knew I wanted it. I know I can make an impact, and I know we can have really good success, she said. More and this Central Administration were encouraged by the interest shown in the position as they went through the hiring process last month. I'm actually very grateful for the amount of applicants we had. It speaks volumes about our program knowing we had great applicants for it. We had a couple of days' worth of interviews and had quite a few applicants that were phenomenal. We wanted to make sure we gave everyone an opportunity because it's about finding the right person with the right experience and making sure they were the right person for the program and for the girls and for the future of the program. By the time we were done, it was unanimous that she was who we wanted to lead our program. Stewart follows a recent trend of coaching hires at Columbia Central as football's trederious golf, boys' basketball brand in Levere, and baseball's Devin Simler, named to their positions within the last year are all first-time head coaches. They've done a phenomenal job, Morcette. I trust our administration to be able to judge based off resumes and the experience that is on the resume that doesn't necessarily resonate to the amount of years but the amount of experience as a player and what they've put into the program they've been a part of, but also their ability to connect with kids and build relationships. She definitely has that aspect that fits perfectly to what's needed with our girls' program. She's a phenomenal woman who is going to be a phenomenal person for our young women. I'm not worried about a drop-off. If anything, she's only going to continue to build off the successes, and I cannot wait for her to do even better than what we've already done. Murray County Public Schools Girls High School Basketball Coaching Vacancies remain at Mount Pleasant, where West and Ford resigned after one season to return to Zion Christian, and at Santa Fe, which had previously announced Corey Bishop as the successor to John Wild after his one season, before Bishop subsequently opted out of the position. We'll be right back after these messages here on WKLMWKRM Frontport Radio Southern Middle Tennessee today. Looking forward to bringing you more news as well as your hometown memorials. Right after this, stick around. Keep listening, 101.7, 103.7, WKLMWKRMW can be owner-operator. Great to have you with us. This is Debbie Matthews with the National Royalty Group, and if you've been paying attention, you know the housing market has been tough, but rates are beginning the thaw. So if you're thinking about selling, the time to jump in is getting better every day. But if you're thinking about buying, and those interest rates are still a little bit too high, a good agent knows how to negotiate interest rate by downs, and I'm a good agent. So call me, Debbie Matthews with National Royalty Group, 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. We're Auto Home, Life, or Business Insurance, Sea Shelter Agent Tommy Hyde Jr. at 388-2009. Welcome back in to Southern Middle Tennessee today. Christy outfilling in for Tom Price here on Front to Portrait Radio, bringing you all the news that's news from across Southern Middle Tennessee. Live from the Debbie Matthews, National Royalty Newsroom here in Columbia. Don't forget if you miss any part of this broadcast you can catch it each day at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Live on air, or you can get it on your demand at FrontPortraitioTn.com. Click the News tab for the podcast where you can listen or read at your convenience. We are going to take a look now at your hometown memorials presented by Oakton Nichols Funeral Home. Mary Susan Berry Kennedy died on Friday at the age of 67. Mary Susan was the daughter of Sue and DeWees Berry of Franklin, Tennessee. She was raised along with her four siblings on a farm off West Harpeth Road that she loved. She rode horses, played in the woods, and developed a love of nature that she kept the rest of her life. She and her husband of 43 years dealt Kennedy, raised their children Sam and Berry on their own farm, Glendale Farm. She made the farm and house a beautiful place and full of life. Mary Susan hosted countless people at Glendale and for her any guest was an occasion for breaking out the silver and good China. She was known for her beautiful flower arrangements and for putting anyone who showed up to work. She was a lady with high standards, but she will be remembered for making everyone she met fill at home. Kind, incredibly giving, and genuinely interested in those around her. Mary Susan made new friends wherever she went, from the way to write a restaurant to the newest member of one of her groups. She was deeply loyal to lifelong friends from high school, college, Columbia, and the Mont Eagle Sunday School Assembly, and she absolutely adored both the Berry and Kennedy families. For the past 10 years, Mary Susan's greatest joy has been her three grandchildren who spent the night with her weekly. Mary Susan loved playing with her children and grandchildren, hiking, reading, writing horses, singing and playing pretend as a serious business. She was game for an adventure and was proud that she was the brave one who jumped off the waterfalls when she was young and was renowned for being an active grandmother at Mont Eagle and beyond. One friend said, "I don't know how she does it. She goes to everything. Lectures, excursions, porch parties, movies, canoe trips, caving adventures, float trips, twilight prayers, et cetera. I can only hope I'm like her when I have grandkids." Mary Susan always rooted for the Vanderbilt corridors no matter how many times they lost. She loved all things French after living there as a junior in college. She often laughed until she got tears in her eyes when she and her siblings shared their Berry family humor. Exceptionally competent Mary Susan got things done and usually that thing was a service to her friends or community. Mary Susan was the heart of the many organizations of which she was a part. Current and formal organizations include St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Choir, Daughters of the King, Vestry, Alter Guild, Flower Guild, Children's Sunday School Teacher, Mont Eagle Sunday School Assembly, where she was a board member and secretary of the executive committee as well as President of the Women's Association, Co-Chair of the Youth Committee, Long Range Planning Committee, and Assembly Choir. The Centennial Club, where she was a course member, Daughters of the American Revolution, Garden Club, Columbia Breakfast Rotary, Chamber of Commerce in Spring Hill, where she was an ambassador for the Chamber, Mary Alliance, the James K. Polk Association, Pay Grace Ford, and Kappa Alpha Theta. She graduated from Harpeth Hall High School, where she just celebrated her 50th reunion. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at Vanderbilt University, MBA from Southern Methodist University, and her PhD from the University of Memphis. She was a professor at Columbia State Community College for 40 years before retiring to become busier than before, participating in civic organizations, helping run the family's WKOM and WKRM radio stations and working with her son to manage the cattle and sheep at Glendale Farm. She is survived by her husband Sam Delk Kennedy Jr., children Sam Delk Kennedy III, Rachel Vest, and Mary Susan Berry Kennedy II. Grandchildren Margaret Berry, Samuel Delk IV, and Ann Ridley Greenfield Kennedy, and her siblings, Deweese Berry, Doug Berry, Willberry, and Amanda Moody. Mary Susan was full of love for those around her, and she was much loved in return. A memorial service will be held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Columbia, on Thursday, May 23rd, at 3.30 pm. Visitation with the family will be held Wednesday, May 22nd, from 3.05 pm. Memorials may be made to St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Columbia, Tennessee, or to the Mont Eagle Assembly Endowment Fund Corporation. Walter Henry Hank Keller III, 46, of Columbia, passed away on May 5th. The family will visit with friends on Saturday, June 1st, from 11 until 1 at Oaks & Nichols Funeral Home, with a graveside service immediately following at St. John's Ashwood. Stephen Todd Sharp, 37, died Friday, May 3rd. Funeral services will be conducted May 20th at 2 pm at Oaks & Nichols Funeral Home, with Drew Love officiating. Beryl will follow at John's Cemetery in Columbia. The family will visit with friends Monday, 12 noon, until time for service at the funeral home. Ocarleen Mayberry Thompson, 94, resident of Columbia, and beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died Wednesday, May 15th at her residence. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, May 22nd at 2 pm at Oaks & Nichols Funeral Home, with David Morris officiating. Beryl will follow at John's Lake Cemetery in Etheridge. The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 12 noon, until time of services at the funeral home. As years go by, people may tend to forget just what a funeral is really all about. At Oaks & Nichols, 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 Oaks & 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 live 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. Who made it easier? Oaks & Nichols Funeral Directors, 320 West 7th Street in Columbia, since 1856, people you can rely on. Let's take a look now at news from around the state. A three-judge appellate court panel ruled this week that just because some people faced new restrictions for convictions before Tennessee's sex offender registry existed, it doesn't mean the registry is unconstitutional. The Sixth Circuit ruling sent shockwaves through Nashville with attorneys scrambling to better understand how this will impact their clients. Back in 2023, district courts agreed with several John Doe's who filed lawsuits claiming Tennessee's sex offender registry as it stands violated their constitutional rights. They argued they shouldn't have to follow restrictions from an ever-changing registry that was completely revamped in 2004, long after their convictions from more than a decade earlier. A U.S. Court of Appeals panel voted this week to uphold Tennessee's sex offender registry, even if some restrictions may appear unconstitutional for a select few. Although the panel found similarities with Michigan's sex offender registry that was eventually struck down, appellate judges ruled that the district court should review each case against the restrictions they challenged before ruling on someone's constitutional rights were violated. Citing a family emergency in Florida, a third-party candidate for President Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived four hours late for a Nashville campaign fundraising event on Wednesday. Kennedy's "A Night of Comedy" featured comedians, including former Saturday Night Live cast members Rob Schneider and Jim Brewer and Russell Brand. Nicole Shanahan, a veteran of the tech industry and Kennedy's running mate, took the stand just before 11 p.m., followed by Kennedy who spoke to the crowd, which had then significantly since the 7 p.m. start time, for less than 15 minutes. Kennedy did not address any themes of his campaign. Kennedy, who was on the Presidential ballot in six states, has not qualified for Tennessee's ballot. The deadline to qualify for the November election is August 15th. For photos of the event, visit TennesseeLookout.com. Alright, we'll take one more break when we come back, one final story, here on Southern Middle Tennessee Today, from WKOMWKRM Studios. In Columbia, we'll be right back after this. 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 and his professional staff will check them out online at Turner in Osbourne.com. That's Turner and Osbourne.com. Don't let pain keep you out of the game. Murray Regional Physical Therapies, experienced 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. We are back here on Southern Middle Tennessee today, live from the Columbia studios of Frontport Radio, WKOM, WKRM. Don't forget Frontport Radio TN.com is where you can hear and read all of today's news from across Southern Middle Tennessee. We do have time for one more story, and we'll get to it now. Recently, the General Federation of Women's Club Springs Station held an agro-fairy-tail fundraiser and the event barn located on the grounds of Enchanted Springs at Gordon Farms in Spring Hill. The club donated $605 to the March of Dimes from a portion of the proceeds of the tea. March of Dimes, of course, is an affiliate organization of the GFWC. We had such a successful and fun afternoon. We are already talking about doing this event again in the future, Centina Majors, President of the GFWC Women's Club. Please visit the website and Facebook page for the GFWC Spring Station Women's Club and more for pictures of the tea. The GFWC meets on the first Monday evening of each month in the lower level of the Winchester Community Facility on Murray Hill Street in Spring Hill. Membership is open to women of all ages and interests who want to make new friends and have fun while volunteering on a variety of community service projects. That's going to do it for this edition of Southern Middle Tennessee today once again broadcasting from the Front porch radio studios here in Columbia. Hope you guys have a fantastic Monday. And we'll see you again tomorrow right here on Front porch radio, tn.com. dot com. [MUSIC PLAYING]