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Columbia Man’s Stolen Scooter Returned After News Report Sparks Action

Issue #419

April 26, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🌤️ Columbia’s Weather - Partly cloudy w/ high of 75 & low of 54

📰 Columbia Man’s Stolen Scooter Returned After News Report Sparks Action

🐝 Honeybees Find a New Home in Yanahli Park’s New Pollinator Garden

📌 Today: Litter Awareness Event at Maury County Public Library

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Saturday, April 26th

Sunday, April 27th

Monday, April 28th

Tuesday, April 29th

Columbia Man’s Stolen Scooter Returned After News Report Sparks Action

On April 17th, Robert Reeves posted in the I Heart Columbia (Muletown) Facebook group, “Had a scooter stole today behind Kroger shopping center near Little Caesars … this is what it looks like.” He included a picture of his $3,500 Honda Metropolitan scooter.

Reeves, a nurse practitioner and father of six, relied on the scooter since the family’s only car was used by his wife. Surveillance footage helped Columbia police identify and arrest Shannon Giles, who was seen with an accomplice loading the scooter into a pickup. Though Giles didn’t reveal the scooter’s location or her accomplice’s identity, the story took a turn when she unexpectedly returned the scooter to Reeves at work. This was only one hour after News 2 filmed the segment above.

Learn more about this story at the video above.

Honeybees Find a New Home in Yanahli Park’s New Pollinator Garden

Photo: Belinda Blevins Moss

A small gathering came together at Yanahli Park on Wednesday, April 16, to witness the groundbreaking of a new pollinator garden. The event featured the introduction of live honeybee colonies by Master Beekeepers Andreas Eastep and Larissa Thomas, both members of Columbia’s Breakfast Rotary Club. As the hives were prepared, the beekeepers released thousands of bees into their new homes.

To ensure a smooth transition, the bees were sprayed with sugar water, which helped keep them calm while their queen was moved into each new hive. The queen, accompanied by a few attendant bees in a small mesh box, was placed inside the hive with a “candy” plug that the bees would eat through over a few days to release her. Once the queen was in place, the rest of the colony was poured into the hive.

Each hive is loyal to its queen, and the temperament of the colony reflects her personality. One of the colonies turned out to have a particularly aggressive queen, which was removed and will be replaced after undergoing a brief acceptance test by the other bees.

The new hives are expected to begin producing honey by July, with each colony potentially yielding 40 to 70 pounds in its first season. The honey and beeswax will be used by the Rotary Club for fundraising purposes. Local artist Amy Stielstra introduced the idea of painting with beeswax, and plans are underway to offer public classes in this ancient artform at Yanahli Park, possibly starting in the fall.

The pollinator garden and beekeeping initiative is a collaboration between the Breakfast Rotary Club, the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension program, and the Maury County Parks Department. The garden itself will measure 30 by 60 feet and feature 28 native pollinating plants, each labeled for educational purposes.

The Rotary Club previously worked with the Parks Department on other projects at Yanahli, including a shade structure over the nearby archery range. This latest effort aims to enhance environmental education and engagement. The UT Extension will lead community outreach, and local 4-H members are already preparing to participate.

The garden and hives will serve as the first official Master Beekeeping training site in Middle Tennessee, complementing existing facilities in the eastern and western parts of the state. Graduates of the Master Gardener and Beekeeper programs are required to volunteer, and coordinators expect strong support from their ranks.

The grand opening of the pollinator garden and hives is scheduled for May 16.

Today: Litter Awareness Event at Maury County Public Library

This April, in observance of Litter Awareness Month, the City of Columbia has launched the Clean Up Columbia campaign. The initiative aims to unite the community in collective efforts to reduce litter, protect local ecosystems, and work towards a cleaner, more sustainable environment for all residents.

The city is excited to partner with the Maury County Public Library, Keep Maury Beautiful, Inc. and the Triple C’s (Columbia Community Cleanup Team) to host a Litter Awareness Education Event for children at the Maury County Public Library this Saturday, April 26th!

Event Date: Saturday, April 26th
Time: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: Maury County Public Library - 211 W 8th Street, Columbia, TN

Activities:

Mayor Chaz Molder will read 'Catch That Litter Bug', a children’s book by local author Michael Fulbright, to educate youth about the importance of litter management.

The City of Columbia Public Works Department will conduct recycling truck demonstrations to illustrate how waste is handled in Columbia.

Keep Maury Beautiful and the Triple C’s will lead fun, educational activities designed to instill environmental responsibility in children.

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Saturday, April 26th

Nick Bentley, Keg Springs Winery, 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Grasskickers, Amber Falls Winery, 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Kamber, Buck & Board, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Pickin’ N Grinnin’ Night, 5:30 - 9:00 PM, Bethel Community Center & Club (Santa Fe)
Cole Nichols & Austin Bohannon, 106 Pleasant St, Mt Pleasant, TN, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
David Tolliver & Steevie Steeves, The Bourbon Gospel, 8:00 PM, Details Here
615 Rewind, The Boondox, 8:00 - 11:00 PM

Sunday, April 27th

The Sins, Amber Falls Winery, 1:00 - 5:00 PM
Low Tech Rednecks, The Rebel Bar & Grill, 4:00 - 7:00 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

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