The THP will share software that can predict traffic accidents with sheriff’s offices around the state. Lt. Travis Plotzer said the software has been very helpful for the THP. “What it does is it creates like a map where you might see it similar to a weather map, it shows areas they’ve had crashes in the past but also takes ... Read More »

The THP’s distracted driving enforcement netted a bunch of citations, but only one for distracted driving. The THP said officers issued 17 citations and 8 warnings for seat belt usage, three citations for child restraint violations and one citation for texting and driving. Troopers, Putnam County deputies and Cookeville Police officers joined together for the enforcement. Some were stationed on ... Read More »

Smithville’s Waste Water Treatment Plant upgrades have been completed. Work beganon the $2.7 million project last year. The refurbished plant could now treat 8 million gallons of wastewater daily. That provides room for growth. The plant only needs to treat about 1.2 million gallons daily. A Community Development Block Grant covered about $500,000 of the costs, the rest was handled ... Read More »

Sparta’s Square will be closed to traffic Saturday for the annual Lester Flatt Celebration. Chief Jeff Guth said the police department has the festival preparations down to a science. “The whole square will be shut off to vehicle traffic and will be foot traffic only, it’s just park where you can on the side of the street,” Guth said. Police ... Read More »

Overton County officials said work continues on the Joe L. Evins Community Center. County Executive Ben Danner said the building opened in the 1960s and hasn’t seen an update since. “Put new flooring, new lights and everything, new switches, new air conditioning, new roof, it’s looking pretty good,” Danner said. When the building is complete, the county extension office and ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Family Justice Center will expand next month. Director Amy Stockwell said it was time to grow. “We finally feel like we have a firm foundation in Putnam County and we thought the next natural move was Livingston and Overton County and hopefully so that we can better serve the victims who are in Pickett and Clay and ... Read More »

Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver took a ride on the THP distracted driving bus to see firsthand how bad the distracted driving problem is in Tennessee. Weaver said she wouldn’t be surprised to see a distracted driving bill in the general assembly this winter. “And there’s quite a bit of debate, discussion on it, we haven’t passed anything yet but it’s ... Read More »

Drivers received citations for a number of violations Wednesday as the THP’s distracted driving bus toured Highway 111. Lt. Jimmy Neal said drivers don’t expect a bus full of law enforcement. “We’re going to have officers on board the bus and they’ll be watching the traffic and when they see violations, they’ll radio out to one of the guys on ... Read More »

One block of Cookeville’s Spring Street will be closed Friday. The city’s Water Quality Control department needs to patch the road. Spring Street between Jefferson and Washington will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. A water service line caused a problem with the pavement. They’ll excavate the area, compact it with gravel and patch the pavement. The road will be ... Read More »

Firefighters across the state hope everyone will learn something this week for Fire Safety Week. Putnam County Fire Chief Tom Brown said some simple steps can really help. “Basic stuff like fire safety in the home, smoke alarms, an escape plan, anything that will get you safely out of the home in the event of a fire,” Brown said. Each ... Read More »