Latest News

Highlands Residential Services (HRS) has extended the bid period for the Oak Tree Towers project. HRS Director of Operations Chris Cassetty said the agency will now open bids on January 14. “We had a couple of general contractors who had picked up plans and were very interested in the project,” Cassetty said. “With opening bids so close to the end ... Read More »

Cooekville officials will consider an amended agreement with White County Thursday for repairs to the Roberts-Matthews Highway Bridge over Falling Water River. Cookeville and White County have joint ownership in the bridge. City Public Works Director Greg Brown said the original 2017 agreement required Cookeville to pay $269,100 for the project. “After the passage of the IMPROVE Act, White County ... Read More »

A Smithville man appears in court Thursday for charges that he locked a woman inside his home against her will. DeKalb County authorities charged 22-year-old Ronald Barbosa Gutierrez with kidnapping and aggravated assault. He remains behind bars at the county jail on $25,000 bond. Officers arrested Gutierrez last week after responding to a fight at his Allen Street home. Upon ... Read More »

Putnam County has purchased property adjacent to the landfill at Cookeville Boat Dock Road. County Mayor Randy Porter said the $65,000 property will supply ground cover for the landfill. “I think the $5,900 an acre is a very reasonable price for that 11 acres compared to the price of other land that we’re seeing across the county,” Porter said. “Looking ... Read More »

A Smithville man appears in court Thursday for charges of possessing images of children engaged in sexual activity. 67-year-old Rick Allen Meuer faces two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He remains behind bars at the DeKalb County Jail on $30,000 bond. Warrants allege that he possessed one image of a minor female and another image of a male ... Read More »

The Putnam County Commission has approved a resolution supporting a proposed bill that would make TennCare reimbursements for ambulance transports match the Medicare reimbursement rate. If approved by state lawmakers, Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said the county expects to receive an additional $600,000 a year. “The rates should have been raised years ago, and we just hope that they’ll ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council will consider awarding a bid on Thursday for a South Willow Avenue sewer improvement project. Water Quality Control Director Ronnie Kelly said the work will come before a scheduled TDOT project. “We had bid the water and sewer and we felt like the sewer was way high,” Kelly said. “Our engineers went back and reevaluated that. We’ve ... Read More »

A Fentress County woman faces possible jail time for indictments charging her with distributing illegal drugs. The indictments charge Erica Asberry Bebley with sale and delivery of 80 grams of methamphetamine, four units of heroin, and possession of less than one gram of cocaine. The grand jury handed down the charges following an eight month investigation between the Fentress County ... Read More »

Frontier Communications has experienced an issue preventing some Overton County residents from contacting 911. Overton/Pickett 911 Director Chris Masiongale said the problem affects residents living in the Hanging Limb area. “We checked all of our equipment last night and put in a trouble ticket with Frontier and the state 911,” Masiongale said. “They are looking into it, but since then ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity will look to provide a home for an Overton County family next year. Community Outreach Coordinator Trent Carter said they have found a lot and are ready to build. “It’s a great location and it’s one of the larger lots that we ever had actually so it’ll be a really good size home that ... Read More »