T-DOT almost ready to start work on Baxter’s I-40 improvement project. Mayor John Martin said T-DOT is currently working on surveying and flagging areas as preparations are being made. He said right now, they are awaiting T-DOT’s design approval to officially get dirt turning. “We don’t really have anything as far as exit 280,” Martin said. “But I talked to ... Read More »

Nicotine cessation program Quit For Life restarting its sessions after a three-year hiatus due to COVID. Program Facilitator Randy Todd said the program had been operating through Cookeville Regional Medical Center since 1992 before the pandemic. He said they could not be happier to restart this program and help people with their nicotine addiction. “Gosh you’ve got nothing to lose ... Read More »

Cookeville Public Works Department making moves to get an additional sideload sanitation truck. Director Blake Mayo said the department tries to keep trucks in their fleet between five to seven years old. He said they have been searching for quotes to buy a truck for this upcoming budget and found a truck that would have a build date for this ... Read More »

Putnam County Schools System has set high school graduations for the third week in May. VITAL’s graduation will be 6 p.m. Thursday, May 18th at the EDGE on Life Church’s campus. Upperman High School seniors will graduate on Friday, May 19th at 6 p.m. at the Hooper Eblen Center. Also at the Hoop, Cookeville High School’s graduation will be 10 ... Read More »

Sparta has bid out the replacement for two HVAC units at the civic center. Public Works Director Dillard Quick said the units have come in at some $34,200. He said that cost is over budget, but the work needs to get done. “We have some old units that are over 20 years old,” Quick said. “One of the heat exchangers ... Read More »

A woman is in critical but stable condition at Vanderbilt Hospital after being evacuated from a Best Western on South Jefferson Sunday night. Cookeville Fire Chief Benton Young said she was first transported from the scene to Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He said the cause of the fire is currently being deemed an accident. “It appears it started around the ... Read More »

Putnam County Schools will implement more secure entrances at Cookeville High School, Park View Elementary, and Burks Elementary. Director of Schools Corby King said this was possible through funding from a security grant. He said the system will construct additional security vestibules as people enter the building. “They add a space so that it forces visitors when you come onto ... Read More »

Town of Monterey facing multiple audit findings after the financial team found too many end-of-year journal entries to reconcile. According to the Comptroller’s Report, this can lead to undetected errors when accounts do not match up. CMFO and Office Manager Ella Dishman said an example would be putting line items in the wrong accounts and having to go back and ... Read More »

Eye drop recalls concerning local ophthalmologists about the quality of products being produced for patients. Middle Tennessee Eye Dr. Alisa Hudson said thankfully the FDA protects patients by having a wide range of protocols and requirements for products. She said the two brands of eye drops recalled, Ezricare and Delsam Pharma, were produced in India and had been contaminated by ... Read More »

Putnam County Spay and Neuter Clinic will begin its operations again next week. President Elizabeth Sofia said the organization got the official notice of a transfer of assets from the Attorney General Wednesday night. She said when a non-profit wants to transfer assets such as equipment to another non-profit, they need state approval. “It does belong to a non-profit so ... Read More »