Another record-high COVID case tally Monday at Cookeville Regional Medical Center with 71 positive cases. Director Of Public Relations Melahn Finley said CRMC reported its 50 death this weekend, a resident from Putnam County. The COVID tally has more than doubled in the month of October at Cookeville Regional. The Medical Center suspended elective procedures with overnight stays last week ... Read More »

Former Cookeville City Council member Dwight Henry saw the good and bad of the relationship between the city of Cookeville and Putnam County during his three terms on the council. He said communication can quickly deteriorate the relationship. “One of the things I learned is there’s no such thing as too much communication,” Henry said. “You know, you’ve just got ... Read More »

Governor Bill Lee said he expects the legislature to hold BEP Funding steady this year. Basic Education Funding provides a large percentage of school revenues annually. Upper Cumberland School Districts have been concerned that students moved to home schooling this year because of COVID might impact state funding negatively. “I think you will find the same desire for the legislature ... Read More »

Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said he will not issue a mask mandate now, but said it remains an option if residents do not reduce large gatherings. Porter said Thursday night that the county’s growing numbers are due to baby and wedding showers, birthday parties, school reunions and other private gatherings. He said these events can quickly become super spreaders ... Read More »

Three months of shutdowns affecting its youth residential facilities will leave UCHRA in the red to the tune of about $450,000. The good news, according to Executive Director Mark Farley, youth are once again being served in the three facilities and the economics are turning around. “Since the court systems opened back up, you know, we’ve we’ve had two good ... Read More »

Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris spent part of Tuesday meeting with school officials about the proposed expansion of the Justice Center and Jail. “Meeting with the administrators and the principal, Ms. Wood, and others from the central office, explaining to them simply how the jail would affect them,” Farris said. “And quite honestly, it’s not going to affect them at ... Read More »

Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton said the expansion of the Putnam County Jail and Justice Center is a county decision. Speaking as part of a Highlands Economic Development Live Event Wednesday, Shelton said the county commissioners do not need the city’s permission to move forward with the expansion. “Ultimately, it’s not really a City of Cookeville decision, it’s a Putnam County ... Read More »

The Tennessee Department Of Health will host weekend drive-thru testing at the Fentress County Senior Center Saturday. Jamestown’s mobile testing site will be one of three sits setup across the state in an attempt to address rising COVID cases in the rural areas. The testing site will be open 9am to Noon Saturday. “We’ve seen an upward trend in COVID ... Read More »

Cookeville Regional will suspend elective surgeries that require overnight stays effective immediately. CRMC CEO Paul Korth said it’s an effort to free up beds with the recent COVID surge. “We are surging up in our numbers and we’re doing things appropriately to to take care of those patients,” Korth said. “We’re also looking at ways to get those patients home ... Read More »

Two Cookeville City Council members spoke against the expansion of the Putnam County Jail Monday night. Council members Mark Miller and Laurin Wheaton said the decision could cause irreversible effects on the downtown. The comments came some six months after commissioners first voted on moving forward with expansion. “We’re not going to get high-end development there, $300,000 or $400,000 town ... Read More »