A judge has postponed the sentencing hearing for a man convicted of setting fire to the DeKalb County Courthouse. A jury found 55-year-old Gary Wayne Ponder guilty of aggravated arson earlier this year. Authorities arrested Ponder after a courthouse surveillance camera caught Ponder lighting newspapers inside a recycling bin on fire. The 2016 fire caused more than $100,000 in damages ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Human Resources Agency (UCHRA) added Algood to their Ride and Go Upper Cumberland public transit route. City administrator Keith Morrison said the bus makes a round trip from Cookeville to Algood in one hour. “It is a dollar each time you get on the bus. You can ride the bus to the Hub in Cookeville and catch ... Read More »

More than $12,000 in misused public money remains uncollected in two Upper Cumberland counties. Fentress County’s unpaid balance of $9,684 stems from a 2014 investigation charging a former county library director with theft. Overton County’s $2,710 unpaid balance also stems from an investigation charging the former deputy director of the Millard Oakley Public Library with the same crime. In each ... Read More »

The Putnam County Election Commission has approved nearly 200 workers for the March 3, 2020 primaries. Election Administrator Debbie Steidl said nine of the county’s 22 precincts will have two special-judges working that day. “So that there won’t be that down time of those folks if they have special problems or anything,” Steidl said. “Because that did tend to happen ... Read More »

Algood City Council has approved a rezoning ordinance allowing a new storage facility to locate off Highway 111. City Administrator Keith Morrison said he expects Rost Brothers Storage to have an impact on the city’s economy. “We don’t currently have any RV storage to this caliber. We’ve got some uncovered RV storage that’s just an open lot,” Morrison said. “There are ... Read More »

Officials reported no major accidents or travel issues after light snow and sleet fell across the Upper Cumberland Tuesday. Putnam County Emergency Management Agency Director Tyler Smith said road conditions will likely become worse Tuesday night. “With the temperatures falling, were expecting some refreezing, especially bridges and overpasses,” Smith said. “They’re still saying that we could get some more snow ... Read More »

Monterey will move forward with a project to connect area schools to the town’s walking trail. Town grant writer Dawn Kupferer said the Putnam County Board of Education signed off on the plan during last week’s meeting. “They (board of education) gave us the approval to do some work on their property, which would include a boardwalk near that area ... Read More »

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) plans to release trout into the lake at Cane Creek Park tomorrow. Press officer Lee Wilmot said this is part of the agency’s winter trout stocking program. “The winter trout stocking program is a way to introduce people to the sport in areas that may not have the opportunity or trout streams,” Wilmot said. ... Read More »

The former director of a Putnam County senior center has pleaded guilty to exploiting residents at the home. Stephanie Butler will receive an effective 10-year sentence as a result of her plea. The District Attorney General’s office began investigating Butler nearly two years ago after receiving multiple reports of criminal behavior. As the investigation progressed, agents developed evidence indicating elder ... Read More »

Putnam County Commissioners will look at refinancing a 2010 bond when they meet next week. County Mayor Randy Porter said the $7.2 million bond helped build the Highlands Business Park. “It is now available to be recalled and refinanced. The original rate was 3.25-percent,” Porter said. “It’s hard to guess as to what the exact rate’s going to be when ... Read More »