Cookeville Planning Commission approved Monday night the resubmission of the preliminary plat for Claremont Subdivision. The 11 lots will be constructed at 507 Stevens Street by Bernhardt Construction. Work has begun on the development of the subdivision. The commission also voted to accept the final plat of University Park, the 18-lot development on Chestnut Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets. ... Read More »

Cookeville will extend its agreement with UCHRA’s Substance Abuse Solutions program to provide social work assistance to the homeless. City Council Thursday unanimously approved the extension of the program through June. The pilot program began last summer as an attempt to provide help to a growing homeless population. City Manager James Mills said 149 clients have been assisted through the ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council approved the development of a systemwide recreation master plan Thursday night. The contract with Nashville firm Kimley-Horn will not exceed $99,500. Leisure Services Director Rick Woods said the plan will provide an assessment of the services offered by the department, including input from local citizens. “To continue to be eligible for state grant funding, we must develop ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council will vote Thursday on creating a Division of Information Technology. City Manager James Mills said IT duties currently fall under the codes department. “This is part of a long term strategy to try to improve our cybersecurity and to also the security of our networks and enhance our telecommunications,” Mills said. During Tuesday’s work session, Mills told ... Read More »

The State Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of a Putnam County man found guilty of second degree murder. In a 2018 trial, a jury found Willie Nathan Jones guilty in the death of Rodney Richards and the attempted murder of Stacy Maynard. Jones was sentenced to 37 years imprisonment on the murder charge and the attempted murder charge. ... Read More »

After concerns about dividing the community further, Cumberland County Commissioners voted to remove a resolution condemning the storming of the Nation’s Capitol from Tuesday night’s agenda. “I feel like this entire resolution is completely unnecessary,” Commissioner Mark Baldwin said. “I think the taxpaying citizens of Cumberland County would rather us focus on county issues and not be passing resolutions.” Commissioner ... Read More »

November sales tax revenues across Putnam County increased some 7.3 percent over last year. Putnam County and its four communities collected over $3.97 million in November. $3.1 million of those sales tax receipts were collected in Cookeville. Baxter and Monterey saw sales tax increases of at least 23 percent each in November. Baxter’s November receipts increased 30 percent over 2019. ... Read More »

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear the case of a Clay County man convicted of first degree murder in 2015. Edward Walsh faces life imprisonment for the first degree murder charge and a concurrent two-year sentence for the abuse of a corpse conviction. On appeal, Walsh argued that closing arguments were based on inferences from facts not in evidence. Walsh ... Read More »

A Dekalb County man has been arrested on child pornography charges. District Attorney Bryant Dunaway said David Royden Drennan is being held in the Dekalb County Jail on $150,000 bond. Drennan has been charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. An investigation found Drennan had more than 50 images of child pornography on his mobile telephone. Investigators with the Dekalb ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council voted unanimously Thursday to offer emergency paid sick leave for city employees impacted by COVID 19. The benefit replaces a federal mandate in the Families First Coronavirus Act which has not been renewed by Congress. City Manager James Mills said the 80 hours of paid leave are available for a city employee who is being quarantined or ... Read More »