The Cookeville Police Department reminds people to drive safely as students across Putnam County returned to school this week. Captain Bobby Anderson said some violations, like speeding in a school zone, can carry more weight than a citation. “If you are written a citation for speeding in a school zone, that is considered reckless driving,” Anderson said, “which can accumulate ... Read More »

Putnam County continues to experience an increase in development, according to statistics released by County Executive Randy Porter Wednesday. According to Porter, the 2017-2018 fiscal year saw a near-20 percent increase in permits issued from the previous year. The county has received nearly 650 total building permits for single-family residential houses since the beginning of 2015. “It’s going to be ... Read More »

The Tennessee Emergency Communication Board voted Wednesday to deny Pickett County of creating it’s own E-911 district. According to ECB Executive Director Curtis Sutton, comments and data received indicated a new district would not be in the best interest of Pickett County residents. “The staff has not received any additional information or plans from Pickett County in response to the ... Read More »

One of two new transformers was recently delivered to the East Cookeville Substation. Carl Haney is the Operations Superintendent for the Cookeville Electric Department. He said the 72-ton units will help replace an older transformer that went down last year. “These are considered a high-voltage transformer,” Haney said. “Our East Cookeville Substation is fed by 69,000 volts. These transformers take ... Read More »

Authorities arrested a Jamestown woman on multiple charges of statutory rape last week. According to arrest records, 21-year-old Stacy Tomlinson committed the acts on four different occasions with two juveniles. The first victim, a 13-year-old male, told investigators he and Tomlinson had sexual encounters on three separate occasions, two of which occurred in Tomlinson’s apartment. The incidents occurred between June ... Read More »

Fentress County is set to participate in one of the country’s largest yard sale events beginning Thursday. Leann Smith is the Executive Director of the Fentress County Chamber of Commerce. She said the Highway 127 Corridor sale benefits everyone in the Upper Cumberland. “The economic impact is immeasurable not just for Fentress County but for our surrounding counties as well,” ... Read More »

A Gordonsville man was charged with meth possession following a traffic stop in Putnam County Tuesday morning. According to arrest warrants, Cookeville Police stopped a vehicle for tag light and window tint violations. 35-year-old Brandon Climer was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the stop. During a K-9 search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a cloth ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council will consider an ordinance Thursday rezoning a portion of Fountain Circle to be used for a wrecker service. Planning Department Director James Mills said very few of these services exist within the city. “That’s one of the more requested items we get in the planning department is locations for wrecker services,” Mills said. “There’s very few of ... Read More »

Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss and his son, Anthony, are set to appear in court August 6 after being indicted last week. The two were charged after Mayor Poss was found to have paid his son for work at the city’s golf course without the permission of the Board of Aldermen. District Attorney Bryant Dunaway declined to comment on the case, ... Read More »

Two Overton County men face several charges after a loaded handgun and drugs were found following a traffic stop in Algood Saturday. According to arrest warrants, Algood Police stopped 26-year-old Joshua Cobble of Rickman, and 42-year-old Linden Cook Jr. of Livingston, along Big Mac Drive. Upon searching the vehicle, the officer found several drugs and drug paraphernalia in Cobble and ... Read More »