Latest News

Cookeville City Council Member Chad Gilbert wants the city to start planning ahead when it comes to paving projects. Gilbert said the city should start creating a plan that stretches five years or more in order to better prioritize projects. He said there is technology and resources available to help calculate the asphalt’s lifespan on different roads to better aid ... Read More »

Baxter Police Department has received four new patrol vehicles to rotate out older cars from its fleet. Chief Danny Holmes said the vehicles were made possible through a grant received with the help of UCDD. He said that the department will drive brand-new Ford Explorers for the first time ever. “We were just so fortunate, you know we have a ... Read More »

Coaches and Athletic Directors say the recent updates to Putnam County’s pay supplement plan are a positive change for the School System. The new three-tiered system gives coaches an increase in pay as they stay in their position longer. Upperman High School Athletic Director Ross Fanning said the increase should encourage more coaches to take positions in Putnam County. He ... Read More »

Clay County Schools could be updating the way they give Teachers pay raises next school year. This was discussed at Thursday’s Board of Education Planning meeting. Financial Director Ashley White said that she believes the school system will need to change from percentage-based raises to dollar-amount raises soon. “Typically in the past, we have always stuck with percentage rate increases,” ... Read More »

Another Dollar General could be coming to Baxter in the near future. Codes Official Bob Lane said the company had reached out about the potential to establish another one in the city. He said they had tentatively looked at placing it behind the Huddle House off of Old Gainesboro Road near the interstate. “They’ve not officially come to us yet ... Read More »

Prescott South Middle School’s playground is receiving upgrades. Former PTO President Stacey Hardison said the old playground was in need of renovation because it would often take days before students could use it after rain due to water buildup that would leave the surface uneven. She said the project will be broken into three phases, and phase one will address ... Read More »

A series of small earthquakes have been felt in Western North Carolina over the last several weeks, centered just over the Tennessee line. The tremors ranged from 1.8 to 3.2 in magnitude. They have been centered near Canton. Tennessee Tech civil engineer and Assistant Professor Dr. Tim Huff said earthquakes in the Upper Cumberland are not uncommon, but most are ... Read More »

Next week the Cookeville City Council is expected to pass its budget on final vote. This includes a new expenditure line from the economic development fund to put towards the Biz Foundry. Mayor Laurin Wheaton said the council decided to change the Biz Foundry’s designation from a non-profit after learning just how much of an economic driver the organization is. ... Read More »

Cookeville Water Quality Control Department including funds in next year’s budget to address water and sewer in the Old Salem area of town. Director Barry Turner said the land south of I-40 near Highway 70 had been annexed over 20 years ago. He said residents had voiced concerns about getting their plans of services addressed during the city’s annual public ... Read More »

McBroom Chapel Church of Christ will have its first service this Sunday since it was damaged by the 2020 tornado. McBroom Family Historian Larry McBroom said when he first heard that the church was made structurally unsound by the storm, he was in disbelief. He said when they tore it down in April, there was uncertainty it would even be ... Read More »