Jackson County Schools will be closed for a second day Friday because of continued flooding concerns. Director of Schools Kristy Brown said she made the decision after speaking with emergency officials and road department heads. “They’ve been out on the roads and assessing the areas. In collaboration with them, it’s not just the situation at the school that we’re dealing ... Read More »

A woman facing one count of first-degree murder in Overton County will make her first court appearance March 27. Brandy Angela McDougle, of Livingston, was originally scheduled to appear in Overton County Criminal Court Jan. 28. Court records did not indicate a reason for the date change. A grand jury indicted McDougle last December in connection with the shooting death ... Read More »

New property maintenance codes in Livingston would prevent overgrown weeds and debris from accumulating on residential properties. Hayden White of Envision Livingston presented the amended codes during Livingston’s City Council meeting this week, which would allow residents to report nuisance vegetation and animals. “We’ve added the unlawful accumulation of debris that can be blown over to a neighbor’s yard,” White ... Read More »

A sinkhole caused by flood waters in Cookeville led to a broken water line along Rockwell Drive. Ronnie Kelly is the Director of the Department of Water Quality Control. He said workers received calls of low water pressure in the area around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. “When our employees arrived on the scene, they’d found that a sinkhole had fell out ... Read More »

Heavy rainfall in the Upper Cumberland can have an impact on livestock and pastures. UT Ag Extension Agent Wayne Key said the heavy rain can muddy the fields and paths used by livestock, potentially affecting their health. “When it comes to the rain that we’ve had, it’s definitely causing the impact,” Key said. “Whether it be nutritionally, whether it be ... Read More »

Local law enforcement agencies and U.S. Marshals recently arrested six people in White County on drug and weapons charges. White County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Thursday Clinton Staggs, Alyssa Beth Savage, Jennifer Lynn Hixson, and MaKenzi Jade Delaney all face charges for simple possession, drug paraphernalia, an felonious possession of a firearm. Joe Kyle Murphy was identified as a wanted fugitive ... Read More »

Areas and roadways with standing water have been reported by Putnam County EMA officials following heavy rainfall. County EMA Director Tyler Smith said crews responded to a stranded vehicle along Walnut Avenue Wednesday evening. Smith said several Cookeville streets are experiencing flooding, including Fisk Road, Academy Road, Willow Avenue, and Broad Street. The National Weather Service has issued a Flash ... Read More »

New traffic light programming could help improve Cookeville’s traffic flow. Public Works Director Greg Brown said the Central Software and Support system will allow the city to better coordinate traffic signals and ease congestion. “It’s a program that we’ll install that will link our signals together, particularly after we get them all connected with fiber,” Brown said. “We can monitor ... Read More »