A former Overton County inmate filed a $1.5 million suit against the county and its officials. John Lucas White was incarcerated at the jail for 13 days last spring. According to the suit, White told jail officials he had been addicted to drugs, and was seeing a Nashville doctor. The suit said jail officials didn’t give White the drugs as ... Read More »

Not considered a prominent health problem for many years, hepatitis now is on the rise. In particular, hepatitis C, continues to grow rapidly as a health concern both in the United States and around the world. In the Upper Cumberland, as prescription drug users turn to other forms of drug abuse, such as heroin, the sharing of needles leads to ... Read More »

Putnam County’s kindergarten enrollment is on pace with last year’s, officials said. Attendance Supervisor Corby King told the Putnam Board of Education kindergarten registration began in April. At this time, some 663 kindergarteners had been registered at the county’s elementary schools. King said more will register over the summer and right before school begins. About 200 more kindergarteners are expected ... Read More »

Jackson County High School’s Kelsey Smith has been selected as the Lite Rock 95.9/106-9 Kicks Country Dream Big Scholar for May. The award honors outstanding work in the classroom, leadership in school groups, and organization, achievement in extracurricular activities as well as work in the community. One student from a high school across the Upper Cumberland wins the award each ... Read More »

When leaders gathered more than ten years ago, they wanted to provide a place where Tennessee Tech students, faculty as well as community members and their kids could create and learn. This discussion and work led to the Oakley Stem Center on the Tennessee Tech campus. We continue our exploration of STEM Education as we visit with the center’s director ... Read More »

Michael Joseph Pigg pleaded guilty to a single charge of attempted rape of a child last week in Cumberland County court. Pigg agreed to a 15-year sentence. The charges were issued after events at Pigg’s home in December 2012, involving a girl who was 12 years old at the time. The case was set to go to trial and the ... Read More »

STEM Education may be a new concept to many. It’s not a class or a subject…it’s a different way of examining science and mathematics education…asking students to explain why and how. In the Upper Cumberland, the Millard Oakley Stem Center provides a place where college students can learn to teach the next generation and local students and parents can explore ... Read More »

Addiction to heroin on the rise. Pain killer usage at an all time high. Marijuana viewed as a recreational option. Meth, though tempered by recent changes in the laws, remains prevalent. There are many aspects to the Upper Cumberland’s drug addiction challenge. Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland stands as one organization trying to break the cycle and return local ... Read More »

White County High School’s Bryan Scott has been selected as the Lite Rock 95.9/106-9 Kicks Country Dream Big Scholar for April. The award honors outstanding work in the classroom, leadership in school groups, and organization, achievement in extracurricular activities as well as work in the community. One student from a high school across the Upper Cumberland wins the award each ... Read More »