Authorities are responding to a rollover accident at the I-40 westbound exit ramp onto Highway 111. A black SUV was found on its roof with airbags deployed and damage to the left side. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports that accident is being investigated as a property damage crash only with at least two other vehicles involved. Putnam County 911 has ... Read More »

Jackson County officials may have found a silver lining in Wednesday’s underwater cave rescue. Emergency rescue personnel rescued British cave diver Josh Bratchley after he became lost in a cave near Flynns Creek Road. County Mayor Randy Heady said the positive outcome and national attention may bring more people to the area. “People are getting excited, [especially] when people from ... Read More »

The Cookeville Public Works Department will soon receive its own brush grinder. City Council members voted to approve purchasing the equipment Thursday with the total cost estimated around $700,000. City Manager Mike Davidson said earlier this week Putnam County would assist in purchasing the new grinder. “It’s a little over $107,000 from the City of Cookeville, which we’ll take out ... Read More »

Two people suffered injuries following a two-car crash on I-40 near Baxter Thursday. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports 65-year-old Debra Huff of Livingston and 20-year-old Melissa Kelly of Hendersonville were both traveling westbound when the accident occurred. The THP crash report states Huff slowed for traffic when Kelly swerved to miss rear-ending Huff. Kelly’s vehicle struck the right rear of ... Read More »

The Overton and Putnam County Sheriff’s offices have issued a Silver Alert for a missing elderly man. Putnam County authorities have identified the man as 83-year-old Dr. James Smith of Cookeville. Previous information had stated Smith was from the Overton County area. Overton-Pickett EMA Assistant Director Eric Stephens reports Smith’s truck was found unoccupied along Copeland Cove Road south of ... Read More »

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that several Tennessee counties were eligible for disaster funding following severe flooding and storm damage earlier this year. Jackson County Mayor Randy Heady said the relief funding will help greatly in the region’s recovery efforts. “The floodings are hard on small counties like us,” Heady said. “You have a lot of road damage, culvert repair, ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD) wants to help prepare several communities for potential industry. Executive Director Mark Farley said several locations across the region have industrial sites available but few are actually prepared for site visits. “We want to reach out to our seven or eight communities that have industrial products that are ready to sell and ready to ... Read More »

Former Celina Vice Mayor Tonya Spears has taken over as the city’s mayor. Celina City Hall reports Spears was officially sworn in as the new mayor April 9 after former mayor Joey Rich stepped down due to health reasons. Spears said Wednesday she hopes to continue the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s efforts in moving the city forward as she ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) has received interest from multiple communities in providing nutrition program services themselves. Executive Director Mark Farley said at least six counties are looking into providing the service. “We’re going through the proposal process currently see what our food cost is going to be for the next year and to see what interest we ... Read More »