Baxter Water and Sewer officials continue exploring the condition of the city’s sewer system in the wake of testing earlier this month. The town used smoke testing to look for leaks across the system as part of plans to refurbish the city system. “We found some issues with some manholes, we found some issues with some clean outs that were ... Read More »

The pedestrian struck while walking along Washington Avenue in mid March died from his injuries Sunday. 65-year-old Ad E. Landers suffered head injuries in the accident. It happened Thursday March 15 at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Broad Street. Landers was walking southbound when he was struck by a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by 27-year-old Joshua Phann of ... Read More »

Multiple drug overdose deaths in two Tennessee counties last week have local anti-drug coalition leaders concerned. “We want people who are at risk to be on guard,” Smith Country Drug Prevention Executive Director Barbara Kannapel said. “It could be the same dealers so it could move to other counties.” Decatur and Maury Counties recorded multiple overdose deaths last week. Kannapel ... Read More »

The White County Schools want to officially break ground this week on the new Findlay Elementary. “It’s been a process,” Director Of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said. “I think we were all taken aback a little bit by building costs these days, especially commercial building costs. But once the sticker shock wore off, we were able to sit down and work ... Read More »

A Saturday night traffic stop resulted in the arrest of two women, one an Upperman High School student. 18-year-old Loretta Lynn See of Cookeville and 24-year-old Joshua E. Robichaud face charges of simple drug possession as well as drug paraphernalia possession. The stop happened just after 10pm Saturday night in the 1,000 block of Willow Avenue. Police found .1 grams ... Read More »

Clay County farmers could soon have their own place to sell locally-grown products. A working group has come together to examine the idea of a Farmers Market in Celina. Clay County Agricultural Extension Agent Jason Shultz said discussions actually began late last year. “We’ve had several folks within the community that have been hinting at the idea and wanting to ... Read More »

The first step toward a brand new amphitheater on the Gainesboro Square now underway. Invitations to bid on the concrete that will form the amphitheater now out. Those bids will be awarded in the next 30 days. Jackson County Chamber of Commerce President Frank Hardegree said a $48,000 economic development grant will pay for the new facility. “It’ll be for ... Read More »

The White County Courthouse has upgraded its security protocol, thanks to a $24,000 state grant. The Sheriffs Department has installed a new x-ray machine, two walk-through detectors and three hand-held detectors as part of the upgrade. “We were able to update the equipment, it was quite dated,” White County Sheriffs Information Officer Melissa Worthington said. Workers completed the installation last ... Read More »

Crews from the T-DOT survey office have been staking right-of-ways along South Jefferson Avenue near highway 111. T-DOT Community Relations Officer Jennifer Flynn said workers have outlined the proposed right-of-way in the first half dozen properties affected by the widening project. The expanded roadway would, for example, take a significant piece of the Putnam County Solid Waste division property. Eventually, ... Read More »

The State Court Of Appeals has upheld the termination of a McMinnville firefighter for cause rather than for his complaints about the department. Former McMinnville Firefighter Joseph Sweat said the city terminated him in 2014 in retaliation for his complaints against then-chief Keith Martin. Sweat filed suit in 2015, saying the city violated the Tennessee Public Protection Act, also known ... Read More »