Just completed training for Fentress County school resource officers is about getting everyone on the same page. District Attorney General Jared Effler’s office sponsored the training at Cove Lake State Park.  Effler said participation from all five of the counties in the judicial district included some 100 individuals. He said it reflects the professionalism of the SROs and school administrators. ... Read More »

Putnam County NAACP has formed an ad hoc committee to plan an annual Kwanza celebration. President Tom Savage said many locations throughout the United States celebrate Kwanza, but not many rural areas. He said many people honestly do not even know what Kwanza is and he himself learned about it from a school teacher. Savage-1 (:20) “She wanted her kids ... Read More »

Fall Creek Falls remains without power while clean up continues from this week’s storm. Van Buren County Emergency Management Public Information Officer Tiwanna Bricker said the command center is still waiting for the National Weather Service’s determination on whether a tornado passed through the park. “We had a lot of damage to the park,” Bricker said. “We’ve had reports of ... Read More »

It is Farmers Market Week and the Upper Cumberland has many locations to buy the freshest produce available. White County Farmers Market Coordinator Glenice (sounds like Glenn-iss) Richards said the tomatoes, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, melons, corn, and yellow squash are plentiful. Richards said everything is picked at peak ripeness and you can rely on them to provide the perfect ... Read More »

The Sparta White County YMCA began a feeding program last week for kids up to age 18. YMCA Program Director Gin Skinner said 80 percent of students in White County receive free or reduced lunches. She said the Y had a Monday feeding program through the summer which led to a decision to start the new program feeding four evenings ... Read More »

Storm damage delayed the first day of school in Van Buren County. School Director Jared Copeland said based on road reports around the county, the decision was made to delay school until Wednesday. “Our county still had some damage as far as trees in roads and power lines down and things like that,” Copeland said. “So we thought it best ... Read More »

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District holding a public meeting to review environmental impact of the revised Center Hill Dam and Reservoir Water Control Manual. Biologist Patrick Garner has prepared the environmental assessment for updates to the Center Hill Water Control Manual. Garner said the resulting data analysis and assessments have resulted in a finding of no significant ... Read More »

Cookeville Regional Medical Center receives national recognition for stroke care. Joint Commission Certification Coordinator Susan Ashburn said with evidence based training and guidelines, CRMC has attained American Heart Association Stroke Silver Plus status. Ashburn said CRMC sees some 700 potential stroke victims annually. Ashburn said of those patients some 500 receive a confirmed stroke diagnosis.  She said CRMC has been ... Read More »

The White County Schools annual active shooter training to take place Wednesday. Sparta Police Officer Brent Copeland said ALICE training had been taking place annually for some seven years, preparing teachers to Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. “I would never in my lifetime have thought that we would have to have something like this,” Copeland said. “That the world ... Read More »

DeKalb County Election Commission is promoting a hands-on Open House with new voting machines on Thursday, August 10, from 2-4 p.m. Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley said newly passed Tennessee legislation mandates that all voting machines have a verifiable paper trail. Stanley said the state paid for the equipment and equipment for other counties that needed the update. “The machines ... Read More »