The first Southern Roots Bluegrass and Arts Festival is coming the Putnam County Fairgrounds on June 4 and 5. Southern Accents Market Events Co-Director Mandy White said being in the south, Bluegrass is always a hit. White said that after a tough 2020, it was the right music to get the community together to support Putnam pride. “With COVID and ... Read More »

Overton County Schools will fully return in-person for the fall semester in August. Interim Director of Schools Donnie Holman made the announcement during Monday’s COVID press conference in Livingston. Holman said returning to the classroom is the best plan for students. “Moving forward, for all student’s social, emotional and educational needs as we return to the normal school atmosphere,” Holman ... Read More »

Algood has approved its 2021-2022, with an emphasis on parks and recreation development. City Administrator Keith Morrison said roughly $4.37 million will be spent with an expected revenue of $3.3 million. Morrison said this is not the type of budget he likes for the city but was necessary to get phase one of the new park off the ground. “There’s ... Read More »

24 students will receive their high school diploma Friday because of their work in White County High School’s Warrior Academy. Warrior Academy Instructors Angie Salyors and Jerry Lowery said many of these students are first generation graduates. Lowery said some of these students are told they will never graduate high school but they put in the work to achieve an ... Read More »

A Cumberland County man has been indicted for Second Degree Murder after allegedly providing methamphetamine to a woman who overdosed. On Friday, deputies booked Mark Christopher Brown into the Cumberland County Jail on a $150,000 bond for Second Degree Murder, Sale of Schedule II Controlled Substance and Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance. Tennessee law enforcement agents joined Cumberland ... Read More »

Cookeville City Manager James Mills said the recent events involving a firefighter pay scam should not reflect on the entire fire department. In a release by the city Friday afternoon, Mills said an internal investigation had been launched prior to the Tennessee Comptroller Office’s investigation. Retired Cookeville Fire Captain Marvin Montgomery and current Captain Shawn Roberson face charges of payroll ... Read More »

The results of the White County School Board’s evaluation of Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger were discussed Thursday night. Dronebarger had a cumulative score of 3.5 out of 4 on his evaluations. Board Member Bob Young said it became clear to him while reviewing the evaluations that some of the lower scores could be improved through more collaboration with Dronebarger. ... Read More »

The White County School System has removed its mask mandate for the remainder of the school year. One member of the board of education voted to keep the mandate Thursday night, with one member abstaining. Board Chairman Jayson McDonald said his vote to make masks optional was based on public sentiment. “I had several calls from my constituents, just expressing ... Read More »

A Florida man was killed after running onto I-40, being struck by a Freightliner truck on Thursday. The deceased is 30 year-old Samuel Ray of Kinard, Florida. According to a report from Tennessee Highway Patrol, the truck was travelling eastbound on I-40 near mile marker 293 when Ray ran in front of the truck and was killed. The incident happened ... Read More »

Dekalb County High School Principal Randy Jennings has stepped down after 26 years in education. Director of schools Patrick Cripps said he and Jennings go back together as administrators for over a decade. Cripps said Jennings was someone he could count on to bounce ideas and provide a steady force in the system. “You don’t replace Randy Jennings,” Cripps said. ... Read More »