Latest News

The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board will take an updated inter-local agreement to the four owners of the airport for approval. The agreement between Cookeville, Sparta, Putnam County and White County governments allocating the airport responsibilities had not been updated since the 1990s. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter chairs the board. He said T-DOT kick started the need to upgrade ... Read More »

The Monterey Police Department is looking to fill two open positions with the hope of hiring three officers in the next several weeks. Police Chief Bill Randolph said hiring officers has become more of a challenge in recent years. Randolph said they lost an officer to the Highway Patrol after that department offered a major pay raise. The department also ... Read More »

US News and World Report ranked Dodson Branch Elementary School 85th of some 1,500 Tennessee elementary schools. Dodson Branch Principal Brian Lee announced the distinction at the Jackson County Board of Education Meeting Tuesday night. Lee said that number makes them the highest-ranked public K-8 school in all of Tennessee outside of magnet and charter schools. “Our school is a ... Read More »

The DeKalb County Board of Education and Dekalb County Commission took a first step at trying to answer facility needs for the school system during a joint meeting Tuesday. Though the meeting was scheduled to talk about an elementary school, Director Of Schools Patrick Cripps said other facility needs are growing. County Commissioners pointed to two immediate options: the school ... Read More »

It is the busiest time of the year for shopping, and the Cookeville Police Department reminds you thieves are busy too. Lieutenant Anthony Leonard said criminals use the crowded shopping centers to their advantage. Theft is the crime most on the rise during the holidays. Leonard said most of these are vehicle burglaries. “Everyone’s out shopping and visiting multiple places ... Read More »

Two seniors, part of White County High School’s Warrior Media, have produced a new documentary series. The series titled “Rebound,” follows the Warrior basketball team during last year’s postseason run. Videographer and Lead Editor Noah Cole said he and Videographer Jack Bouldin began the project in August and completed it last week. Bouldin said the story of the documentary is ... Read More »

The Cookeville Rescue Mission has begun its annual Hope Rings Out campaign, ringing bells to support its work. This year marks the 35th year of the campaign. Rescue Mission Staff Manager Ronnie Lindsey said the money collected from this fundraiser makes up about a fifth of the Rescue Mission’s total budget. He said volunteers can make their own schedule and ... Read More »

A new substation in Cookeville’s southeastern corner may be rising on the agenda for Cookeville Electric. Cookeville Electric Director Carl Haney said the project is on the Electric Department’s list of long-term plans but could see an accelerated timeline with industrial growth in the region. Haney said the department wants to keep all of its substations below 60 percent capacity ... Read More »

The DeKalb County Commission will allow the public more opportunities to be heard with a change to commission procedure. Commissioner Tom Chandler said public comments should come at the end of the commission’s work sessions and at the beginning of their normal meetings, the opposite of what they currently do. “That would allow people to comment on what they had ... Read More »

The Baxter Christmas Parade has been pushed to Monday amid weather concerns and Upperman Football playing for a state championship. Parade organizer Chelsey Stanton said rain appears to be a possibility Friday and rain limited attendance at last year’s event. Stanton said with a large portion of the community heading to Chattanooga for the high school football state championship, she ... Read More »