Life Church’s prison ministry hopes to touch lives throughout the Upper Cumberland and beyond. Associate Pastor Bob Sotis said the ministry began 10 years ago at the Putnam County Jail. Since then, it’s spread to Overton, White and Clay counties. Now, it’s moving into Davidson. Life Church partnered with a women’s ministry and the Metro-Davidson County Correctional Center. “What we ... Read More »

The Sparta Board of Mayor and Aldermen will begin making changes to the city’s personnel manual Thursday. City Administrator Chris Dorsey said the manual is old and out of date. Last winter, city staff began meeting with a consultant from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service. “We spent about 6-8 months with John Grubb, he’s the consultant with MTAS, going through ... Read More »

The construction company doing work on Willow Avenue hopes motorists will slow down. Project Manager Joe Lehrer said J&H Construction is performing the work under contract for the city of Cookeville. For the next three weeks, workers will be digging through Willow Avenue to replace water lines and a few sewer lines, he said. “Be careful of our guys out ... Read More »

More Tennessee Promise scholars volunteered in state parks this year than in the past. Tennessee State Parks held a statewide volunteer day at the end of June. More than 800 students showed up. That’s a 40 percent increase over last year, TDEC said. Students planted flower beds, painted trail signs and installed playground equipment at all 56 state parks. Promise ... Read More »

Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce CEO Brad Allamong said officials are still going through the pages of data received from a workforce study back in May. Part of the study makes recommendations on industries the county should try to recruit. “Actually we’re getting more attention from prospects lately, so I think in some ways it’s already paying off and we ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland will have one of the best views in the nation for the coming solar eclipse. The August 21 event is one that Tennessee Tech Professor Dr. Stephen Robinson, Chairperson in the Physics Department, has been looking forward to for some time. To call the eclipse a once in a lifetime event…does not do it justice. And it’s an event ... Read More »

Water line work on Willow Avenue will be completed before the road is paved. TDOT spokeswoman Jennifer Flynn said before Oct. 31, nearly two miles of Willow Avenue will be paved. Work will begin south of Jackson Street and continue to just north of Gainesboro Grade. Cookeville Water Department representative Matthew Phillips said the department has a contractor replacing water ... Read More »

Cumberland County Crimestoppers hope the public can help find a woman accused of stealing from a thrift store. A written statement from the group said the woman sorted through donations at the Threads of Hope Thrift Store in the early morning of July 10. She reportedly tore through bags of donated goods, choosing what she wanted and carrying it off. ... Read More »

A DeKalb man faces additional charges after posting notes on church doors within the county. Last week, Laddie Bill Jerrells, 57, of Smithville, was charged with 24 counts ranging from vandalism to desecration of honored places. Sheriff Patrick Ray said after the story was circulated in the media, another church came forward to say notes had been posted on the ... Read More »

A DeKalb County man faces child pornography charges after more than 400 images were found on his computer. Winston Alexander Puckett, 37, of Granville, was arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Sheriff Patrick Ray said deputies executed a search warrant and found more than 400 images on Puckett’s laptop. He is ... Read More »