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A Cookeville man would like to see changes to Putnam County’s short-term rental regulations. Chad Gilbert owns several short-term rental properties and said he’s most concerned about a rule requiring operators to comply with the state fire marshal’s code. “I’ve check with the fire marshal’s office. They don’t issue life safety compliance for single-family anything,” Gilbert said. “You [county commission] ... Read More »

Monterey officials will be looking to change the employee pay scale next year. Alderman Nathan Walker said the city will look at creating a pay scale that encourages longevity. “We just want to make sure that we have a good, modern pay scale that reflects the region and our area,” Walker said. “To where we can not only retain, but ... Read More »

Organizers for the 2019 Homesteads Apple Festival in Crossville have pulled a Civil War reenactment from this year’s event. The reenactment had been planned by the The Sergeant William A. Hamby Camp, a chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Crossville. Camp Adjutant James Lovelace said the decision to cancel the reenactment came as a surprise to him. “We ... Read More »

Upper Cumberland health officials are not seeing an increase in salmonella cases despite a statewide outbreak. Debbie Hoy is an epidemiologist for the Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office. “This is very common in the summertime. It’s often times linked to chickens,” Hoy said. “Presently in the United States, there’s a couple different outbreaks that Tennessee has linked some cases to. ... Read More »

A child suffered minor injuries during a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 in Putnam County Monday. The Tennessee Highway Patrol charged Angela Tania Adkins of Murfreesboro with improper use of a child restraint device. A THP crash report said Adkins failed to stay in her lane of travel while driving westbound. A tractor trailer struck her 2006 Kia Sorento after ... Read More »

Baxter could begin construction on its new amphitheater within the coming weeks. Mayor John Martin said city officials will visit sites in North Carolina to see examples of how Baxter’s amphitheater will look like. “We’ve already got our plan of what we want it to look like,” Martin said. “It’s really going to be a nice amphitheater. It’s a wood ... Read More »

A man indicted for soliciting sex from a minor in DeKalb County will reappear in court in November. 40-year-old Jason Dwayne Johnson was arraigned in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday morning. Criminal Court Judge Wesley Bray scheduled Johnson’s next hearing for Tuesday, Nov. 5. A grand jury indicted Johnson last month on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. ... Read More »

A theft case involving Smithville’s former mayor and his son will continue in September. Criminal Court Judge Wesley Bray made the decision Monday in the case involving Jimmy Poss and his son, Anthony. A trial had initially been scheduled for last month before being postponed. The 73-year-old former mayor faces charges of official misconduct and theft after hiring his son ... Read More »