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The Dale Hollow Rural Planning Organization is working to educate residents about the Cumberland National Historic Byway. Coordinator Mark Dudney said the Byway runs through eight Tennessee counties, four of which are in the Upper Cumberland. In 2021 the federal government designated it a National Scenic Byway. Dudney said there are several outdoor tourist opportunities along the byway. “It’s more ... Read More »

Starting pay for Warren County teachers projected to increase by some $7,000 in the new fiscal year budget. Director Grant Swallows said employee compensation was one of the main focuses during budget discussions. He said in addition to the base increase, the school board is also working to clean up the salary schedule. “Our salary schedules now had a step ... Read More »

Cookeville’s American Legion Post 46 is hosting a seminar Wednesday to inform residents about caring for older veterans. Post 46 Commander Richard Buford said the seminar came about because when his father passed away, he learned a lot about caring for older veterans he did not previously know. He said he wants to pass that information along to other families. ... Read More »

City of Cookeville received two bids for sewer rehab work on South Jefferson Avenue from the Putnam County Courthouse to the interstate. Water Quality Control Director Barry Turner said the low bid came in at some $1.9 million. He said they were pleased that number was right at what the department had budgeted for the project. “Quite a bit of ... Read More »

Mow often and mow high. That is the mowing advice from the Putnam County UT Agriculture extension to keep your yard healthy. Extention agent Wayne Key said the most common mistake he sees is people mowing their grass too short. He said having thick tall grass can help to prevent weed seeds from germinating and keep the grass moist during ... Read More »

Cookeville Fire Chief Benton Young said the fire department appreciates the city’s discussions about increased funding for paramedic pay rates. The department responded to almost 2,000 calls for medical services in 2022 – more calls than for typical fire issues. He said all the firefighters are medically trained with advanced EMT certification. “We offer a paramedic licensure that they have ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council hoping to schedule a work session to identify long-term priorities to rank and allocate capital spending. City Manager James Mills said every budget year they try to identify capital projects they want to address in the coming year. He said there is a need to do a more long-term look at what the city needs to do, ... Read More »

The Overton County Library will promote cooperation and social skills in their summer reading program, beginning Wednesday. Director Judith Cutright said the program is important because children out of school have a tendency to lose some vital reading skills. “Participating in things like the summer reading program it not only keeps those skills up, but it improves their social skills ... Read More »

As part of its strategic growth plan, Putnam County School System is updating its supplement plan for coaching staff pay. Director of Schools Corby King said the system wants to better compensate all of its employees, not just educators. He said in looking at recruitment and retention of faculty and staff they want the best for the students. “And coaching ... Read More »

City of McMinnville has a new service that allows residents to report non-emergency issues to city maintenance staff. Mayor Ryle Chastain said citizens can use the app to report things such as potholes, water/sewer, property maintenance, stormwater/flooding, garbage, animal control, and graffiti/vandalism. He said users can discover existing problems that have been reported, and even share scenic pictures from around ... Read More »