Pickett County Schools will transition to LED lighting at its ball field. Director of Schools Diane Elder said the system wants to have the new lights installed by March for the upcoming baseball season, “We were told they would be shipped any day, and as soon as we get those shipped, we will be in the process of replacing those,” ... Read More »

Clay County Mayor Dale Reagan said he sees the county’s three audit findings as a good financial report. A State Comptroller’s report found three findings. The Clay County Mayor and Road Superintendent Offices did not practice formal purchase order systems. Reagan said the county does not have the resources to answer this finding. “What they are recommending for us is ... Read More »

Cookeville High School deemed safe after a hoax threat to the school Tuesday morning. Putnam County Schools Communications Supervisor Hannah Davis said the school entered a soft lockdown after a threatening statement was found written on the bathroom wall. “The soft lock down was lifted and none of the students were in danger,” Davis said. “The school is not in ... Read More »

Monterey has purchased a new brush truck that would improve services for residents. Mayor JJ Reels said town currently uses a backhoe placed on the back of a truck to conduct pickups “Operator in the backhoe, operator in the truck and a person on the ground, so you’re talking going from three people to one person doing a job,” Reels ... Read More »

Byrdstown starting a second round of leak detections for the Pall Mall Chanute Water Utility District. Mayor Sam Gibson said finding the leaks will help improve a 50 percent water loss rate the recently acquired system faces. “Pickett County is an area that’s got a lot of sink holes, a lot of rocks and places where water doesn’t come up,” ... Read More »

A new grant program coming to the Upper Cumberland will fund renovation projects for childcare facilities. UCDD Economic Development Director Megan Choate said the region has been allocated $1 million of federal COVID money coming through the state. “The Childcare Creation Program is a new program that is going to be putting grant dollars into the region to help create ... Read More »

Flooding and strong storms a threat for the Upper Cumberland over the next few days. Putnam County EMA Director Tyler Smith said residents should be mindful of flood prone areas as some communities anticipate up to four inches of rainfall. “It will become saturated as time goes on through the week,” Smith said. “That’s when we’ll start to see more ... Read More »

Van Buren County will use grant money to purchase new fire protection and rescue gear. Commissioner William Maxwell said new breathing apparatuses, turnout gear and vehicle extraction equipment would bring its five departments up to standards. “This gives us the ability to upgrade these things and get equipment that we would ordinarily not be able to purchase without a grant,” ... Read More »

A new non-profit coming to Van Buren County that provides financial assistance and vehicle repairs for livelihoods depending on transportation. Auxilium Auto of Tennessee purchased the Van Buren BDS property to establish a main office. Founder Jason Hees said he started the organization to combine his two passions: cars and non-profit work. “Last year I started a non-profit called Auxilium ... Read More »

Overton County Health and Rehab has increased base pay for its nursing department. Public Relations Director Scott Stevens said the facility’s board passed the raises to help in recruiting efforts. “It is challenging, and we’re not unique at Overton County Health and Rehab,” Stevens said. “I think all of our rehabs and hospitals are in the same boat. Some people ... Read More »