Cookeville City Council will consider an agreement to provide the police department with co-responder services for mental health-related situations. Police Chief Randy Evans said that in entering the agreement, Volunteer Behavioral Health Systems would be ready to hire an individual to provide service immediately. “It provides if you will, to use the term ’embedded,’ a mental health co-responder with law ... Read More »

Jackson County Commissioners added longevity pay for county employees in their new fiscal year budget, a first for the county. Mayor Randy Heady said that the addition has been in the works for some time. Heady said he wanted Jackon to compete with other counties’ employee pay, and to show an appreciation for long-serving employees. He said the increase would ... Read More »

Cookeville Regional reports 47 positive COVID patients Monday with 15 in intensive care. According to the medical center, three more people have died as a result of COVID, two from Putnam County, one from Fentress County. Six new COVID patients were admitted Monday. Read More »

Cumberland County’s Hiking Marathon returns for its 7th annual event this September. The marathon was started in 2015 to highlight some 25 miles of trail in Fairfield Glade, as well as the available trails around the area.  Friends of the Trails President John Conrad said the marathon’s structure is not for competition, but to get the community out and enjoying ... Read More »

Dr. Mark Rodgers has been named the new Putnam County Words On Wheels bus coordinator. Rodgers will take over from the retiring Barbara Greeson. Rodgers has been with the early literacy program since its inception. He said its efforts in bringing the joys of reading and learning to children are key in bettering the future of the community. “A really ... Read More »

Progress on the new Patton House Doll Museum and Veterans facility is on hold while waiting for construction prices to fall. The building off Highway 70 was decimated by the March 2020 tornado. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said bids for construction came back some double and triple the amount they were expecting. He said that the architect has examined ... Read More »

If you travel Highway 56 between DeKalb and Putnam Counties, be ready for delays. Resurfacing work set to begin from the north of East Church Street in DeKalb County to I-40 in Putnam County. Contractors will be performing daily lane closures as construction signs are installed and the resurfacing begins. Read More »

Algood’s Parks and Recreation Department unveiled an updated department page. Director Roy Phipps said that with a page already in place for the city itself, the department wanted to utilize technology to have a place where information about happenings in the community can be shared with those invested in it. “Parks are one of those things that everybody wants them,” ... Read More »

Main Street McMinnville has found a new president in Raven Young. Young joined the board about a year ago. She said that the group’s mission to revitalize the downtown area began some 20 years ago, and that it is excited to refocus and continue its work. “And we want to really maintain what has been done in downtown,” Young said. ... Read More »

A new wireless emergency alert (WEA) for thunderstorms has arrived from the National Weather Service. The alert will add a damage threat tag to severe thunderstorm warnings. Nashville Warning Coordination Meteorologist Krissy Hurley said the National Weather Service created the system for more dangerous thunderstorms than the average storm. “I think people will be glad to know that it’s not ... Read More »