Two people were recently charged with stealing electricity in Smithville. Steve Franklin Mabe Jr., 43, was charged with theft of services, vandalism, trespassing and reckless endangerment. Mabe reportedly ran a wire from his neighbor’s window air conditioning unit to his house. His bond was set at $12,500. Martha Conger Hale, 37, was charged with theft of services and vandalism. An ... Read More »

County fairs have worked their way throughout the region and the Cumberland County Fair is next. Lynn Tollett has been a member of the Cumberland County Fair Board for 37 years. “Just like everybody else, I look forward to it every year, just got involved in it, look for something new and exciting every year, so just keep coming back ... Read More »

Cookeville’s color run to benefit the American Cancer Society will take place Saturday. Leah Norris serves as a co-organizer for the event. She said registration begins at 7:30 a.m. in Dogwood Park near First Avenue. “There’ll be 3 color stations where they’ll be splashed with color through the event and at the finish line we’ll have our awards ceremony, probably ... Read More »

Potential bidders can get their first look at auction items at the former Gentry Bros. Tractor Supply Friday. A preview of Saturday’s auction begins at 10 a.m. Friday at the store’s location on Millers Point Road in Sparta. The U.S. Marshals Service auction will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. Owner Jeff Gentry pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering ... Read More »

Putnam County saw an additional $1 million in tourism dollars in 2016. Gov. Bill Haslam and the Department of Tourist Development released the statewide tourism figures Wednesday. Putnam County brought in $123 million in tourism in 2016. Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Visitor Development Zach Ledbetter said targeted marketing helps bring more visitors, but Putnam County’s citizens ... Read More »

People came from all over the country and the world to view Monday’s eclipse. Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Visitor Development Zach Ledbetter has been tracking data all week. “I do know through data I’ve gathered through social media searches and some hotel data, we had at least 40 states and 15 countries that were represented for ... Read More »

The population of Cookeville will grow Thursday. Tennessee Tech’s annual move-in day will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. Tech’s Director of New Student and Family Programs is Allen Mullis. “We have a lot of current students who will be coming back and helping volunteer and then with all of our new students moving in on campus that day as ... Read More »

White County students viewed the eclipse in school. White County Schools were the only Upper Cumberland district in session during the eclipse Monday. “Our teachers started planning back in the spring, we had meetings all this summer, periodically throughout the summer to get ready and plan, those meetings involved safety, preparations and of course also just great learning opportunities, so ... Read More »

Former Fentress County Sheriff Chucky Cravens will spend 33 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. 47-year-old Cravens was sentenced in U.S. District court in Nashville this morning. He was charged with honest services fraud and deprivation of rights on April 20. That same day, he pleaded guilty to the charges and resigned as Fentress County ... Read More »

Two White County residents face drug and child endangerment charges after police served a search warrant late last week. Det. Chris Isom said Gaines Bradley Lewis and Ashley Anderson were arrested. “Over 180 grams of crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine, $4,921 in cash and 4 weapons were seized from the residence,” Isom said. Lewis was charged with manufacturing, delivery, ... Read More »