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A total of five candidates will battle for the position of Jackson County Mayor during Thursday’s county general election. Current Mayor Randy Heady hopes to retain that position. Heady appointed to the position of county mayor earlier this year after the death of Bobby Kinnaird. John Cason, Truman B. Stearnes, Roy Thomas and Brandon Ward are also running for the ... Read More »

Putnam County continues to experience an increase in development, according to statistics released by County Executive Randy Porter Wednesday. According to Porter, the 2017-2018 fiscal year saw a near-20 percent increase in permits issued from the previous year. The county has received nearly 650 total building permits for single-family residential houses since the beginning of 2015. “It’s going to be ... Read More »

Putnam County School System reported a normal influx of students attending school this year. Chris Pierce is the Attendance Supervisor for the Putnam County School System. “In PowerSchool, we have a total of 11,703 students in Putnam County. That is Pre-K through twelfth grade. This number does include some students that have not shown up,” Pierce said. “So this number ... Read More »

Baxter officials expressed frustration Wednesday over efforts to install a traffic signal at the Highway 56 and Highway 70 intersection. The frustration came after a three car accident occurred at the intersection’s four way stop. Baxter Mayor John Martin said the state should be moving at a faster pace to get the project underway. “This has been an ongoing problem ... Read More »

Putnam County authorities arrested a Cookeville woman on multiple charges Sunday, including driving under the influence, evading arrest, and reckless endangerment. According to arrest records, a Putnam County deputy found Diane Bartlett, 53, traveling south in the northbound lanes of HWY 111 around Quinland Lake Rd. According to the report, Bartlett intentionally fled after receiving a signal from law enforcement to ... Read More »

The Tennessee Highway Patrol has charged a Sparta man following a crash at the Highway 56 and Highway 70 intersection in Baxter Wednesday morning. Troopers charged 33-year-old John Henley with failure to obey a traffic control device. A THP crash report said Henley was traveling South on 56 in a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu when he failed to stop at the ... Read More »

The Tennessee Emergency Communication Board voted Wednesday to deny Pickett County of creating it’s own E-911 district. According to ECB Executive Director Curtis Sutton, comments and data received indicated a new district would not be in the best interest of Pickett County residents. “The staff has not received any additional information or plans from Pickett County in response to the ... Read More »

Bids will be later this month for a project to add traffic signals at the intersection of Highway 111 and Interstate 40. Mayor Ricky Shelton said city, county, and state officials have advocated for the project to take place for several years. “We are very thankful that this is going to be done and make it a much safer intersection,” ... Read More »

Monterey officials have started looking at ways to diminish the city’s exposure to liability at Meadow Creek Park. Mayor Bill Wiggins said he’s contacted the city’s insurance carrier, who had several concerns about swimming in the lake and visitors walking along the park’s dam. “He (insurance provider) suggested that we post a sign on each end of the dam that ... Read More »