Pickett County School Board approved emergency renovations following a pipe leak that exposed unknown asbestos. A pipe burst in the School Board Conference room in July, which cause an entire wing of the office space to flood. Pickett County Director of Schools Diane Elder said an estimated $22,000 in sheetrock, baseboard, and flooring damage occurred. “It will be an obstruction ... Read More »

ACT Retesting takes place across over the Upper Cumberland over the next several weeks and local high school students are busy preparing. Putnam County Data and Testing Supervisor Jason Stickler said students who are relaxed and well-rested perform higher. Strickler said the biggest thing students can do to prepare themselves is just to practice. “I know that preparing for assessments ... Read More »

Prescott South Middle School is hosting an event Tuesday to educate local families on the online dangers teenagers face. The Project Guardian presentation is set for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. as agents from Homeland Security will speak. Prescott South Principal Tera Brooks said this will be the second year the school has hosted the conversation around online safety. Brooks said ... Read More »

Motlow Community College’s McMinnville campus will break ground Monday on a new electric vehicle technology facility Motlow Automation and Robotics Training Executive Director Larry Flatt said to his knowledge Motlow will be a first new facility for electric vehicles in the state. Flatt said the seven thousand square foot expansion will lead to an electric vehicle associates degree. Flatt said ... Read More »

El Nino will be impacting the Upper Cumberland’s weather as we move into the next several months. The El Nino is a climate pattern with abnormal water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and the warming of water around the Central and South American coast. National Weather Service Meteorologist Ryan Husted said the phenomenon alters wind flow in the atmosphere. Husted ... Read More »

Clay County School Board voted Thursday night to change the system’s insurance plan to a less expensive option. Clay County School Board Chairman Benji Bailey said the change came after the board conducted its annual insurance evaluation. Bailey said all the proposed insurance premiums were higher this year. “That was cheaper overall than our product last year from an increase ... Read More »

Vol State is opening up Spring Semester enrollment Friday in an effort to give applicants a head start submitting paperwork. Vice President for Economic Development in Regional Centers Nick Bishop said the school wants to help students avoid the last-minute rush to finish paperwork. Bishop said Vol State would love to see non-traditional students apply for spring classes. “So really ... Read More »

Cookeville High School named as one of the best high schools nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. The 2023-2024 Best High School Report evaluates over 17,600 schools nationwide. Cookeville High Principal Karen Trentham said that being included in the list is an honor for her and the school. Trentham said that the ranking only came through a combined effort ... Read More »

Fentress County ready with its long-standing annual County-wide Scarecrow Contest. Residents encouraged to display their scarecrows in publicly accessible areas they own such as businesses, office spaces, or fields. Fentress County Chamber of Commerce Director of Tourism and Leadership Seth Vaughn said citizens look forward to the contest. “It brings more fall appeal to our downtown area specifically,” Vaughn said. ... Read More »

The Putnam Animal Shelter is asking for your help with the annual influx of kittens this time of year. Residents can donate both wet and dry food, as well as choosing to foster kittens to help prevent overcrowding. Shelter Director Jennifer Tracy said though the shelter has navigated similar situations for many years, being able to accurately predict around when ... Read More »