Two COVID patients died at Cookeville Regional Medical Center Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 121. One resident of Putnam County and one from Overton County passed away. Cookeville Regional reported 83 COVID-positive tests Thursday. Four additional patients are awaiting tests bringing the isolation total to 87. Statewide, more than 3,200 residents are hospitalized with COVID-19. Read More »

Smithville City Hall has been closed until further notice after a COVID outbreak among city staff. City services will continue as normal. The dropbox is available for correspondence or payment. It is located near the drive-thru window. City staff are on-call for any water and sewer emergencies. Dial (615) 597-4745 extension 1 if you need service. Read More »

The Putnam County Schools will delay the reopening of school until Wednesday. “We will delay the opening of school until Wednesday, January the 6th, rather than Monday the 4th, and the reason for this way is to allow our teachers and staff members who would like to receive the vaccine for COVID-19 the opportunity to do so,” Director Of Schools ... Read More »

The Putnam County Health Department will begin vaccinating seniors 75 years of age and older against COVID Saturday. Residents can make an appointment now online at the Putnam CountyTN.Gov website. On Saturday, vaccinations will be provided in the heart of Cookeville at the Putnam County Building Codes Department next to Avery Trace School. Appointments will run Saturday from 8am to ... Read More »

Cookeville Regional will once again suspend elective procedures beginning Monday. CEO Paul Korth said the suspension will continue until the number of COVID cases decreases significantly. “We are seeing a record high for the medical center in terms of patients being in isolation from COVID-19,” Korth said. “We expect the trend to continue, and we’ll be seeing even higher numbers ... Read More »

Another arrest Tuesday in the ‘Operation Tis The Season’ drug investigation. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department arrested 30-year-old Ashley Greenlee of Cookeville for the manufacture, sale, and delivery of methamphetamines. Greenlee being held on $100,000 bond in the Putnam County Jail. Greenlee one of 26 individuals indicted on drug sale and distribution in early December. The investigation focused on heroin ... Read More »

Upper Cumberland residents 75 years of age or older can soon begin calling their local health department to reserve a COVID vaccine. State Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said many counties will be ready over the next several days to move beyond medical workers and front-line emergency workers. All of the Upper Cumberland health departments are still vaccinating these front ... Read More »

911 service to cellular phones restored across the Upper Cumberland Monday following repairs to the Nashville AT&T Operations Center. “We’re seeing a lot more stability come back to the network, we’re receiving 911 calls now,” Putnam County 911 Assistant Director Brandon Smith said. “We feel like most of the wireless callers in the upper Cumberland are reaching someone in a ... Read More »

Some 80 patients are being treated at Cookeville Regional Medical Center for COVID-19. That’s down from the pandemic high of 87 patients Sunday. CRMC Public Relations Director Melahn Finley said three additional patients are awaiting tests results. Five people have died since Wednesday bringing the COVID death toll to 119 at Cookeville Regional. Three were Putnam County residents, one from ... Read More »

911 service to cell phones began coming back online Sunday night across the Upper Cumberland. Most 911 calls from your cellular device would not go through in the aftermath of the Friday morning explosion in downtown Nashville. Calls from IP phones were also impacted. AT&T officials began bringing in remote equipment Saturday to both Nashville and areas around middle Tennessee ... Read More »