The Vote on the Old Monsanto Property: What Maury County Residents Need to Know

A 1,339-acre rezoning request on a former Superfund site along the Duck River puts the county's growth, water safety, and long memory to the test.

COLUMBIA, On the evening of June 15, the Maury County Commission convened at the Tom Primm Meeting Room at 6 Courthouse Square and took up one of the most consequential land use decisions in the county's recent history. The item on the agenda was a rezoning request. What it actually represented, depending on who you asked, was either the county's best shot at economic revival or the most reckless gamble anyone has proposed with the Duck River since Monsanto itself left town decades ago.

The request came from Crosswaters Reserve LLC, represented by the engineering firm Barge Design Solutions. The firm sought to rezone approximately 1,339 acres at 2200 New Highway 7 in Santa Fe, on the former Monsanto Chemical Company campus. The site sits five miles northwest of downtown Columbia, between the Duck River and Williamsport Highway, on land that most longtime Maury County residents know simply as the old Monsanto property. The proposed development would include 1,313 residential units, consisting of 975 single-family homes, 188 townhomes, and 150 multi-family units, along with 150,000 square feet of commercial space, a 36-hole golf course with a 25,000-square-foot clubhouse, and a 400-room hotel. The centerpiece of the entire concept would be Tailings Pond 15, a 325-acre body of water known locally as Monsanto Lake, rebranded in the developer's plans as a recreational reservoir.

The developer projected a 20-year economic impact of $5.1 billion, the creation of 1,500 jobs paying a combined $932 million in wages, and tens of millions in development fees and tax revenue for Maury County. Those are numbers designed to get attention, and they did. But they did not settle the deeper question that has followed this land for more than three decades: what Monsanto left behind when it closed in 1989. The plant mined phosphorus, manufactured fertilizer, and for a period produced chemical warfare agents for the federal government. When it left, it left behind a federally designated Superfund site. The properties remain subject to land use restrictions to this day. Generations of Maury County families grew up with stories of dead fish floating downstream and livestock that refused to drink from the Duck. It took decades for the river to come back. The same engineering firm now designing Crosswaters Reserve previously sought to put a landfill on the same property. Maury County rejected that too. This was the third major attempt to develop the old Monsanto site in recent years.

The legal and legislative battles over this land did not stop at the county line. In April 2026, the Tennessee General Assembly passed new legislation granting scenic river protections to most of the Duck and Buffalo Rivers. Every state legislator whose district touches the Duck River signed on as a co-sponsor. Rep. Scott Cepicky of Culleoka, who represents part of Maury County, was a driving force behind the effort, having spearheaded the original 2023 scenic river classification specifically to protect the Duck from development on the former Monsanto property. The Duck River is not merely a local landmark. It is considered the most biodiverse river in North America, providing drinking water to more than 250,000 people across Middle Tennessee. The state legislature recognized that in April. The county commission faced it in June.

The central technical question surrounding the proposal is whether Tailings Pond 15 is safe for residential and recreational use. The pond sits at the heart of the Crosswaters concept, but it also sits at the heart of the Superfund history. No rezoning of this land, regardless of the projected economic impact, can answer that question with a vote. Maury County has shown up to oppose development on this site before, and the river has been the reason every time. The Duck belongs to this county in a way that goes beyond property lines. It is the reason families settled here, the reason the land is worth anything at all, and the reason the community has said no, twice before, when someone arrived with a plan and a price tag. The Muletown Journal will report what the commission decided in a follow-up, but every Maury County resident should understand clearly what was being asked and what is at stake along that river bend in Santa Fe.

Columbia Honors 26 'Architects of History' as America Turns 250

Decorative banners now line the downtown square, celebrating the men and women whose lives helped shape this city across generations.

COLUMBIA, As the nation prepares to mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the City of Columbia is doing what Maury County does best: looking at its own people and telling their stories with pride. The city has launched a dedicated microsite, Columbia250USA.com, and placed decorative banners throughout downtown featuring 26 historical figures the city calls its "Architects of History." The banners now hang in the heart of a square that has anchored this community since before Tennessee was a state.

The historical content was researched and provided by the Maury County Archives and the African American Heritage Society of Maury County. Among those honored is Andrew J. Armstrong, who served as general manager of the Maury County Colored Hospital and co-owned and operated the People's Drug Store. Armstrong's story is one of dozens on the site, each one a thread in the larger fabric of what Columbia has been and what it is becoming. Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder described the initiative not as a milestone celebration but as a commitment. "This initiative is about more than marking a milestone," Molder said. "It's about recognizing the people who built our community. It's about ensuring that their stories continue to be told and inspire future generations."

The 1904 Maury County Courthouse has stood watch over this square through wars, floods, recessions, and celebrations. The banners now surrounding it are a reminder that the buildings are only part of the story. The people who walked these streets, ran these businesses, practiced their faith in these churches, and raised their families in this county are the real architecture of Columbia. Giving their faces and names a place on the square is a fitting way to begin a year of commemoration.

The America 250 celebration in Columbia will continue into the Fourth of July weekend. On Friday, July 3, the City of Columbia will partner with Columbia Main Street for a USA 250th-themed First Fridays event in downtown Columbia, running from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The celebration will feature live music from the Main Stage, musicians and buskers performing throughout downtown, and a family-friendly Game Zone. Attendees are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue. Residents can explore the full list of Architects of History and upcoming events at Columbia250USA.com.

Columbia Gets a New Police Tactical Vehicle and a New Fire Engine

The city's latest investment in first responder equipment drew statewide media attention and signals a serious commitment to public safety infrastructure.

COLUMBIA, The City of Columbia made a pair of significant investments in public safety equipment in mid-June, acquiring a new tactical response vehicle for the Columbia Police Department and a new fire engine for Columbia Fire and Rescue. The additions were highlighted by WSMV, Nashville's NBC affiliate, which visited Columbia to cover the announcement, putting the city's commitment to its first responders in front of a statewide audience.

Details on the specific capabilities of the tactical vehicle and the fire engine were shared through the city's official channels, and the city noted the purchases as part of its ongoing effort to keep public safety personnel properly equipped. In a county that is growing as fast as Maury County, keeping pace with infrastructure needs, including the tools that firefighters and officers carry into dangerous situations, is not optional. It is the baseline of what residents expect from their local government.

The Maury County Fire Department has had a busy stretch of its own. On June 16, MCFD units were dispatched to Iron Bridge Road for a head-on collision at 9:05 a.m., arriving to find one occupant trapped. Firefighters used hydraulic tools to remove the vehicle door and free the patient. On June 21, MCFD responded to a rollover with ejection on Mooresville Pike. District 23 personnel heard the accident from home and arrived on scene before the call was even fully dispatched. Rescue 21 assisted EMS, and Engine 21 along with OPS 20 established a landing zone for Air Evac 09. Both incidents reflect the kind of fast, coordinated response that Maury County residents depend on, often without knowing how quickly those decisions are being made.

Columbia's investment in a new tactical vehicle and fire engine sits alongside these realities. First responders across Maury County are doing difficult work in growing communities with roads that are busier than they have ever been. Giving them the right equipment is the least a community can do. The full details on both vehicles are available at columbiatn.gov.

43 Nurses Pinned at Columbia State, Ready to Serve Maury County and Beyond

Columbia State's nursing program posted a 94.8% NCLEX pass rate in 2025, well above the national average, with a 99% in-field placement rate.

COLUMBIA, Columbia State Community College honored 43 nursing graduates in a pinning ceremony held in the Webster Athletic Center this spring, capping four semesters of classroom instruction and 540 clinical hours for each student who walked across the floor. The pinning ceremony is one of the oldest traditions in nursing education, a moment when faculty formally welcome new graduates into the profession, not just as credentialed technicians, but as caregivers entering a calling.

Dr. Loretta Bond, Columbia State nursing program director, described the evening as a milestone for everyone in the room. Dr. Kae Fleming, dean of the Health Sciences Division, emphasized that what these graduates carry into the field goes beyond clinical knowledge. Fleming noted that nursing school is about much more than mastery of facts and successful checkoffs, and that these graduates are equipped with the ability to learn continuously, a skill she described as priceless for nurses, patients, and families alike. The numbers behind the program give weight to those words. Columbia State nursing graduates posted a 94.8% first-attempt pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination in 2025, compared to a national average of 87.5% for associate degree nursing graduates in the same year. The program's in-field placement rate within six to 12 months of completion was 99% in 2023.

Maury County graduates in the spring 2026 class included Aletha Parton, Jayleah Burchell, Katherine McCraw, Alisha Jones, Kyla Polk, Kayle Hie, Jebediah Roberts, Arielle Mayes, Sarah Anye, McKinley Woodard, Timory Shaner, and Sariah Sanchez. These graduates will now sit for the NCLEX exam to earn licensure as registered nurses. They will go to work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, schools, and home health settings across Maury County and Middle Tennessee.

Maury Regional Medical Center, which serves as one of the region's anchor institutions, depends on a steady pipeline of trained nurses. So do the smaller clinics, home health agencies, and rural practices that keep care accessible across the county. Columbia State, sitting right there on Hampshire Pike, is doing the unglamorous and essential work of building that pipeline one cohort at a time. These 43 graduates are proof it is working. The community owes them a debt of gratitude before they have even clocked their first shift.

The Columbia Jumpin' Jacks Are Playing Ball, and You Should Be There

A new collegiate summer baseball team is playing at Dave Hall Field through July, with tickets starting at five dollars and plenty of good evenings left on the schedule.

COLUMBIA, There is a baseball team playing at Dave Hall Field this summer, and if you have not been out to see them yet, you are missing something worth your Tuesday evening. The Columbia Jumpin' Jacks are in their first season as part of the Volunteer State League, a collegiate summer wood bat league that places college players in communities across Tennessee while they develop their game between seasons. The name is new. The field is not. Dave Hall Field, on the Columbia State campus off Hampshire Pike, has seen plenty of baseball over the years, and this summer it has a team again.

The Jacks opened on June 4 with a 7-6 win. Home games run through the end of July. Tickets range from five to 12 dollars, which means a family of four can settle in with a blanket and not spend much more than they would on a drive-through run. The Volunteer State League, according to its CEO Alec Allred, looks for communities that value baseball, support local events, and take pride in their hometown identity. Columbia fit. It usually does.

There is something genuinely old-fashioned about summer collegiate baseball, and that is not a criticism. It is the thing. Young men away from home, playing for the love of the game and for the chance to get better, in a town that has agreed to root for them. No television contracts, no luxury boxes, no noise machine telling you when to cheer. Just the crack of a wood bat, the smell of cut grass, and the Duck River not far off to the west in the evening light. That is the Volunteer State League's entire premise, and communities across Tennessee have embraced it.

Maury County knows how to show up for its own, and the Jumpin' Jacks have earned that support by putting a competitive team on the field in their very first season. The home schedule runs through July. Get out there while the summer is still long. Tickets and the full schedule are available at columbiajumpinjacks.com.

Duck River Books Named Among Tennessee's Hidden Literary Gems

A statewide travel feature calls the downtown Columbia bookshop a natural fit for the square's old-world character.

COLUMBIA, Duck River Books, tucked into the heart of downtown Columbia, has earned a spot on a statewide list of Tennessee's most notable independent bookstores, according to a recent feature published at TakeMeToTN.com. The piece described the shop as fitting right into the old-world charm of its surroundings, occupying a space that feels like it has been there forever. Visit Columbia TN shared the recognition this week, and for anyone who has spent time browsing the shelves on the square, the praise will ring true.

Independent bookstores are not a guaranteed business anywhere in America right now. The fact that Duck River Books is not only surviving but earning feature coverage in statewide travel publications says something about the quality of the shop and something about the character of this downtown. The Columbia square, anchored by the 1904 courthouse and lined with locally owned businesses, is the kind of place that rewards the people who choose to put down roots in it. Duck River Books is one of those businesses.

Columbia Main Street has been working to extend downtown business hours and draw more foot traffic into the evenings, and a bookstore with the kind of reputation Duck River Books is earning is exactly the kind of anchor that makes that case. A town with a great bookshop is a town worth visiting, and worth staying in. The statewide attention is a reminder that what Columbia has built on and around its square is something real.

The full list of Tennessee's hidden bookstores, including the feature on Duck River Books, is available at TakeMeToTN.com. If you have not visited the shop lately, this is as good a reason as any to walk downtown and spend an hour among the shelves.

State Education Commissioner Visits Riverside Elementary for Summer School

Tennessee's top education official and State Rep. Scott Cepicky observed students and staff during summer programming at a Maury County school.

COLUMBIA, Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds visited Riverside Elementary School in Maury County recently, accompanied by department staff and State Representative Scott Cepicky. The visit included time in classrooms, where Reynolds and Cepicky were able to observe and interact with students and staff during the school's Summer School programming. Maury County Public Schools shared the visit with appreciation, calling it an honor to host the commissioner and the state representative.

Rep. Cepicky, who represents part of Maury County in the General Assembly, has been an active presence in local education and conservation conversations this year. His recent work on Duck River scenic river protections and his visits to Maury County schools both reflect the kind of engagement that constituents here have come to expect from him. Having the state's top education official in a Maury County classroom, watching teachers work and students learn, is the kind of attention that can translate into resources and policy awareness at the state level.

Summer school programming in Maury County Public Schools serves students who need additional academic support or enrichment before the next school year begins. The fact that Commissioner Reynolds chose a Maury County campus for this kind of observational visit suggests the district's work is drawing notice beyond the county line. Teachers and staff at Riverside Elementary who showed up for summer sessions deserve credit for representing the district well under that kind of scrutiny.

The Maury County Board of Education also held a Special Called meeting in June, followed by its regularly scheduled work session at Horace O. Porter School on Bridge Street. The district's agenda is available at mauryk12.org. Parents and community members are always encouraged to attend board meetings and stay engaged with the decisions that shape Maury County's schools.

Columbia Main Street Warns Residents: Scammers Are Targeting Downtown Events

Fake vendors and fraudulent promoters are attempting to exploit Columbia's popular downtown events, and organizers want residents to know how to spot them.

COLUMBIA, Columbia Main Street is alerting residents and visitors that scammers have been attempting to exploit the organization's popular downtown events, posing as vendors or promoters to collect money from people who believe they are dealing with legitimate businesses connected to First Fridays and other events on the square. The warning was posted to Columbia Main Street's social media channels this week, urging the public to be cautious and to verify any financial transactions through official channels.

Columbia Main Street made clear that the organization itself does not solicit payments through unofficial channels. Anyone who receives a suspicious message, invoice, or payment request claiming a connection to Columbia Main Street or its downtown events should contact the organization directly before sending any money. Scammers tend to surface wherever crowds gather and trust runs high, and the Columbia square has both in abundance, especially on First Fridays when thousands of residents and visitors fill the streets around the courthouse.

The timing of the warning is notable. Columbia is heading into one of its highest-profile downtown moments of the year, with the America 250 Independence Day weekend celebration set for July 3 on the square. Events of that scale draw attention from people who are not invested in this community's wellbeing. Columbia Main Street's proactive alert is the right call, and residents should take it seriously.

If you are ever uncertain whether a vendor, event organizer, or payment request is legitimate, the safest step is to go directly to ColumbiaMainStreet.com or contact the organization through its verified social media pages. Do not pay based on an unsolicited message alone. The square belongs to this community. Do not let anyone take advantage of the goodwill that makes it work.