Monterey’s proposed budget includes employee raises, an additional police officer and extra money for increased water department costs. Chairman Nathan Walker said the town’s Finance Committee will send the proposed budget to the Board of Aldermen for consideration in May. “With the increase in sale taxes and property tax increases overall in revenues,” Walker said. “We are in pretty good ... Read More »

The Highlands Economic Partnership is working with the Putnam County School System to organize a part-time job fair. Presdient/CEO Amy New said the initial plan is to start with about 10 employers and host a hiring expo at high schools across the county. New said her team has been working with Putnam Schools CTE Supervisor Leslie Eldridge to make the ... Read More »

Upper Cumberland school systems are preparing for end of year state testing to begin Tuesday. White County Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said teachers the last couple of weeks have been focusing on getting students ready. “Our teachers feel confident,” Dronebarger said. “They’ve been down this road before. They are hitting those standards, going back hitting those benchmark scores and ... Read More »

After 37 years of serving the Cookeville community, Bobby Q’s will close its doors this Saturday. Owner Mike Migliore said it’s one of the hardest decisions he has ever made. “We’ve really enjoyed it,” Migliore said. “Had a passion for the restaurant and putting out good food to my friends and all the new people that I’ve met. It’s just ... Read More »

Sparta finalizing designs to add a right turn lane coming out of Walmart onto Highway 111. City Administrator Brad Hennessee said the permit process with T-DOT should begin when the plans are complete. “Preliminary drawings have been submitted to T-DOT,” Hennessee said. “They have come back and asked for some revisions to be made. Those have been passed along to ... Read More »

Van Buren County’s Water Committee has approved a TDEC ARP spending plan for the county commission to consider. Mayor Greg Wilson said Spencer Utility District’s raw water source project headlines the proposal. “The City of Spencer was awarded about $2,110,000 for raw water to be pumped straight from Caney Fork to the water plant,” Wilson said. “That is not going ... Read More »

Governor Bill Lee’s proposed budget has over $100 million allocated for Tennessee Tech capital projects. Lee said those projects include a new construction manufacturing engineer building and renovations to Johnson Hall. “The future of our state lies in our children, and our young people including those making their way through our universities,” Lee said. “Tennessee Tech is a significant educator ... Read More »

Pennies from Pennie, a memorial ride raising funds for those battling sickness comes this Saturday. Three Twenty-One Tribe motorcycle group will be hosting the event. Vice President Stewart Daniels said riders will travel from the Sparta Civic Center to Fall Creek Falls State Park. “Pennie England was the step-mother of our Chaplin at the Three Twenty-One Tribe, and she has ... Read More »

Overton County Schools Summer Learning Camp will return this June for students entering grades 1-8. Coordinator Debbie Roddie said the four-week camp will focus on learning loss that occurred during the pandemic. “Especially in our lower grades, those critical foundational skills we are really going to hone in on those skills,” Roddie said. “We are trying to accelerate that learning ... Read More »

Coookeville will be getting a new features magazine this fall called Cookeville Lifestyle Magazine. Publisher Chelsea Dartez moved to the community about six years ago. She said she saw an untapped market in a growing community. “It was shocking to me that we didn’t,” Dartez said. “There’s Nashville Lifestyle, Brentwood Lifestyle, Franklin Lifestyle, and it’s just a fun way for ... Read More »