Mask requirements for Tennessee courthouses and court clerk’s offices go into effect starting Monday. Cookeville City Court Clerk Cheryl Chambers said before the mandate, most people were already wearing masks into the building . “We have encouraged people to wear their mask to court the whole time, and they have,” Chambers said. “There have been a lot of people wearing ... Read More »

Monterey Mayor Bill Wiggins said a wave of sadness overcame the community Friday due to the loss of a life and a child losing his father. 41-year-old Derek Lee Wilson drowned while trying to save his son Thursday evening. The two were fishing on a kayak at Meadow Creek Park. “We send out our sadness and feelings and sense of ... Read More »

Tennessee early voting starts Friday with guidelines never seen before in an election year. Putnam County Election Commission Administrator Michele Honeycutt said social distancing, mask wearing and sanitizing will be practiced. “Once they come into our building, we have blue tape on the floor every six feet, so they will just process through,” Honeycutt said. “We have four stations open ... Read More »

Thirty-five members of the Upper Cumberland Medical Society have signed a resolution encouraging residents to wear masks. Medical society member Dr. Jim Batson said high infection rates and available hospital space is the society’s biggest fear. “Our numbers are rising just like everybody else in the country,” Batson said. “We are a regional hub of the entire 14 counties of ... Read More »

School systems statewide will have a new tool for dealing with a COVID reopening: the closing of one school because of a COVID outbreak. Putnam County’s Director of Schools Corby King said shut downs could be tailored. “With this, the state has given us leeway to close individual schools,” King said. “So if I have an outbreak at one school, ... Read More »

Wal-Mart, Kroger and Sam’s Club are among a growing list of retailers requiring shoppers to wear masks. Mike Dorey of Rickman headed to Walmart Thursday. He questions the usefulness of wearing a mask but will follow Wal-Mart’s request. “I do not really know the size of the macrons of the germs and what the mask does and how effective it ... Read More »

Tennessee Tech’s School of Art, Craft and Design’s 2020 Bacchanal has been cancelled. The annual art auction is a fund raiser for art student scholarships. School of Art, Craft and Design School Director Kimberly Winkle said Bacchanal is an event where social distancing is just not possible. “What makes it so wonderful is how our community convenes together in close ... Read More »

Baxter will apply for a Blue Cross Blue Shield grant in August to build a splash pad and farmer’s market in Seminary Park. Baxter Mayor John Martin said the park upgrades will add to the appeal of Baxter and help fill job openings for the Portobello plant opening in the future. “We have four great schools, but the thing about ... Read More »

With several major home fires occurring across the Upper Cumberland over the last two weeks, fire safety is not to be taken for granted. Sparta Fire Chief Kirk Young said families should practice an escape plan every other month to prepare for a home fire. “When you get a plan, everybody that lives there knows what is going on if ... Read More »

The Byrdstown City Council wants to encourage citizens to wear masks so they are exploring ideas to purchase customized cloth masks for residents. Mayor Sam Gibson said if the price is right, the town will consider the purchase. “If we can get a little bit of help on purchasing the mask, and I know the logo on the mask will ... Read More »