Latest News

Get up from your desk and bust a move this Friday at noon to participate in “Dancing Across Tennessee.” The State Department of Health, Healthy Kids and Teens, Inc. and the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth are sponsoring the virtual dance as part of Tennessee Child Health Month. Upper Cumberland Coordinator Kristi Paling said the goal is to get ... Read More »

Local chambers of commerce are reaching out to small businesses to help prepare for the holiday shopping season. Livingston Overton County Chamber of Commerce Director Shannon Cantrell said she hopes local residents will remember how important these local retailers are to the economy. “I think there is going to be a trend this year with people staying home, and people ... Read More »

The Jackson County Fire Department has purchased a trailer that’s designed like a home to help teach kids about fire safety. Jackson County Fire Chief Jeff Conn said this is the first time the county has had a teaching tool like this. Conn said this trailer will recreate nearly every fire emergency that can happen in a home. “It has ... Read More »

The Putnam County School System has 12 unfilled bus driver positions and has done away with 5 bus routes this school year. Putnam County School Transportation Supervisor Kim Bradford said her department has resorted to using mechanics and office employees to drive. Bradford said this has been an issue since school started and it is not caused by COVID. “We ... Read More »

A Smithville man died Thursday morning in an accident along State Route 96 in Dekalb County near Dale Ridge Road. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports 41-year-old Brian E. Clark of Smithville died when his vehicle crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic striking a car head-on. The preliminary reports show Clark was not wearing a seatbelt. Clark was driving southbound ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland chapter of the Southern Off Road Bicycle Association is hosting a volunteer trail building day Saturday at Monterey’s Meadow Creek Park. Member Heather Call said the organization has been working with Monterey for the past year to open the parks first mountain bike trial. “The entire project is a 13 mile loop that will start from the ... Read More »

Voting totals are up across the Upper Cumberland as the early voting period ended Thursday. Jackson, Overton, Van Buren and White Counties have all seen an increase compared to the last presidential election. White County Election Commission Administrator Dorcas Marcum said she’s seen a heavy stream of voters everyday. “Pretty much it’s been over 500 everyday, almost 600 several days,” ... Read More »

Putnam County voters concerned about delivery delays can hand deliver absentee by-mail ballots to the Willow Avenue post office. Election Commission Administrator Michele Honeycutt said each ballot must have a stamp and be delivered by 3:00 p.m. Tuesday. “Out of the 95 counties, every county has one post office that has been designated for people to be able to go ... Read More »

Overton County will look to add more service vehicles to its volunteer fire departments with the next round of Community Development Block Grants. County Executive Ben Danner said if the county is awarded the grant, 12 new mini pumper trucks could be on the way. “We got a lot of fire departments that are struggling right now,” Danner said. “They ... Read More »

Custom Tool in Cookeville is planning to expand it’s operations after being approved for a $1.1 Million loan by UCDD. Custom Tool President Gillen Young said adding more equipment is the first step in ramping up the company to be ready when the economy recovers. “This opportunity to grow is helping us to drive the capital that we need,” Young ... Read More »