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Jamestown Mayor Lyndon Baines said he believes communication issues are at the root of the city’s frustrations over funding the county’s 911 service. At a budget committee meeting last week, several county commissioners expressed concern that the county was setting policy, through its budget decisions, without the city having input. Baines said Jamestown sees the benefit of the service and ... Read More »

As the Putnam County Commission continues its budget work Monday night at a budget committee meeting, several committee members said they are happy with the progress made so far. District 11 Commissioner Kathy Dunn said she is pleased with the work the county’s department heads have done crafting their budgets. “I think they’ve done an exceptional job keeping in mind ... Read More »

The State Legislature did not fund Tennessee Tech’s new College of Engineering in its new fiscal year budget. The 100,000 square foot project would be the first new building for the program in 50 years. State Senator Paul Bailey said the $55 million project among the cuts made to get a balanced budget. “That was one of the projects that ... Read More »

Students in a traditional classroom setting….will COVID-19 change that? Several Putnam County Commissioners questioned that last Monday as they began discussions of the county budget. Will the county need a new school with COVID-19 changing the education model, they asked. School Board Chairperson Dawn Fry said projects could be postponed from a lack of funds, not from a lack of ... Read More »

Watch your step while tending your gardens and mowing the grass, as snake sightings have increased across the Upper Cumberland. White County Ag Extension Agent Scott Swoape said snakes are cold-blooded and search for cool or damp areas. Areas like crawl spaces, flower gardens,wood piles and ponds are the most common habitats for snakes. “Everybody gets the image that they ... Read More »

Cumberland County’s annual Apple Festival Craft Show has been cancelled due to the pandemic. The festival is the largest fundraiser for Cumberland Homestead museum and tower. Cumberland Homestead Tower Association President Brenda King said the funds usually pay for all museum expenses for the year. “With us not having it this year, we are very concerned about being able to ... Read More »

Fentress County will soon begin upgrading and improving its historic courthouse. County Executive Jimmy Johnson said some of the needed improvements are long overdue. “We’ll have another bathroom put in. We have to have certain things taken down where the height will have to be more feasible for any ADA compliance…We’ll be doing a lot of work up in the ... Read More »

A motorcycle collision Saturday morning along Putnam County’s Highway 70 sent two California residents to the hospital. 73-year-old John Anderson of Lake Isabella, CA was life flighted to Erlanger Hospital Saturday morning. Anderson’s motorcycle was travelling eastbound on Highway 70 when he slowed for a turtle in the roadway. A motorcycle driven by the 57-year-old Daures Stephens Jr, also of ... Read More »

A printer caused a Friday night fire at a Cookeville home was contained to one room. The fire broke out just after 9pm Friday at 1177 Locust Grove Road. Eight units responded to the fire. The printer overheated causing significant damage to the room being used as an office. Cookeville Fire Chief Daryl Blair said the rest of the home ... Read More »

The State Legislature Friday morning passed one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. The passage surprised many because the state senate had said it would only consider bills related to the budget or COVID-19. “That was one of Governor (Bill) Lee’s initiatives that was part of his legislative package at the beginning of the year,” State Senator ... Read More »