The Tennessee Highway Patrol discovered a large quantity of marijuana during a traffic stop in Putnam County Tuesday. State Troopers arrested two men from North Carolina after a vehicle search yielded 35-pounds of marijuana, THC pens, marijuana gummies, and two grinders. An arrest warrant charges 42-year-old Albert Cheyno Ayers IV with possession of a controlled substance. 29-year-old Jamal Perry faces a ... Read More »

McMinnville officials approved a resolution Tuesday to borrow up to $10 million for renovation work at the civic center. City Administrator Bill Brock said residents will now have 20 days to decide if the resolution should be brought to a referendum. “If they fail to do that then the city can move forward with funding and construction,” Brock said. “If ... Read More »

The Algood City Council voted Tuesday to use drug fund money to purchase a $25,500 dollar unmarked vehicle for the police department. Mayor Lisa Chapman-Fowler voted no and said it financially didn’t make sense to purchase another vehicle for the police department. “Why can’t they use their personal vehicle and pay charged-mileage,” Chapman-Fowler asked. “Would it not be just as ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council will consider on Thursday an ordinance establishing a new historic district overlay zone. If approved, the zone will include certain properties along East 8th Street. City Planning Director James Mills said municipal code requires 50-percent of property owners to be in favor of the historic zoning. “In this case, we have 16 of 19 property owners that ... Read More »

Fingerprints have helped investigators identify a body found in Smithville Monday. DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray on Tuesday identified the woman as 28-year-old Jessica Renee Stephens of Cannon County. Her body located Monday morning lying in the backyard of a home on Parkway Drive. Ray said Stephens was identified through her fingerprints. Ray said her cause of death will be ... Read More »

Mountain bike trail construction has started at Edgar Evins State Park. Ranger Justin Vaughn said crews have made pretty good progress so far. “We’ve had a couple of good work days. We’ve got about 100 yards already dug on this trail. It’s going to be a pretty intensive intermediate trail,” Vaughn said. “We haven’t stared the beginner trail, but I’m ... Read More »

Additional school bus drivers are needed in DeKalb County. Transportation Supervisor Jimmy Sprague said the shortage can be blamed on changes in state law and lack of pay. “In the transportation department it’s hard to compete against McDonald’s. McDonald’s has pretty good pay, they’ve got insurance, and they have retirement,” Sprague said. “The only thing I offer, as far as ... Read More »

A 19-year-old Cookeville woman suffered injuries during a crash on Dodson Branch Road Monday evening. A Tennessee Highway Patrol crash report said Anna Gayle Harley received treatment at Cookeville Regional Medical Center for undisclosed injuries. According to the report, Harley was a passenger in a 2017 Jeep Renegade that was traveling East on N. Allen Road and skid through the ... Read More »

A Jackson County man faces possible prison time for charges of tax evasion and theft. A Jackson County grand jury indictment accuses 24-year-old Johnny F. Stafford Jr. of evading tax due to the state by filing false documents. If convicted, Stafford could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in prison for a single county of tax evasion. He ... Read More »

State and local authorities are working to identify a body that was found outside of a Smithville home Monday morning. DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray said officers responded to Parkway Drive around 7:50 a.m. and found a deceased female lying in the backyard. Authorities have not yet identified the body as officers could not produce any photo identification at the ... Read More »