Latest News

Cumberland County Commission has updated its personnel policy to include Juneteenth as an official county holiday. The policy also loosened the restriction on working from home so any county-wide elected official can grant that ability. Additionally, the new policy authorizes employees to begin participation in the retirement system upon hire instead of having to wait six months. The policy was ... Read More »

Putnam County Fire Department responded to a fire just outside of Baxter on Jack Lewis Road Tuesday morning. Chief Tom Brown said the Baxter Fire Department was the first to arrive on the scene at 5 a.m. He said the location of the fire did not have a specific address. “It was a single-wide trailer fully-involved,” Brown said. “Turns out ... Read More »

Overton County Budget Committee set to focus efforts on employee pay and benefits. County Executive Steven Barlow said he has specifically working on getting better benefits for county employees. He said he has been meeting with the state insurance commission to try and find a more affordable insurance program. “If the county tries to put more money, that even if ... Read More »

Cookeville City Manager James Mills proposed a 10 cent property tax increase in the new fiscal year budget. The increase would create some $1.17 million in additional revenue or roughly $117,000 per penny. Mills told city council members during a Tuesday work session the property tax increase would raise taxes on a $200,000 home by roughly $50. The property tax ... Read More »

Baxter’s rural interchange improvement project has set a scheduled construction let date for spring of 2026. TDOT allocated some $22 million for work on the Exit 280 interchange last year. T-DOT Region 2 Community Relations Officer Rae Anne Bradley said the project is expected to improve the safety and modernization of I-40 at State Route 56. “A defined scope is ... Read More »

Putnam County EMS wants to add ten new on-the-road positions to deal with an increased call volume. EMS Chief Tommy Copeland presented his requests to the County Budget Committee Monday night. Copeland said each truck is making about 2,800 calls per year, making Putnam County’s Ambulance Service one of the busiest in the state. “We do need to get it ... Read More »

Algood Mayor invites local businesses to the inaugural meeting of Algood Business Association. Mayor Lisa Chapman-Fowler said the city would like to work with the association to develop plans that draw people into the business district. She said there are restaurants, a coffee shop and a couple of new businesses in that part of town. “People think Algood stops right ... Read More »

White County Commissioners set to discuss the transferal of the Mitchell’s Ford Bridge Kayak Access area. County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the almost two acres are right next to the Dog Cove Loop area. He said the county was able to upgrade the land and provide a picnic area and kayak access to the Caney Fork River. “So we’ll ... Read More »

A Cumberland County teen is now an indoor International Bowhunting Organization world champion. 14-year-old Trevor Thompson competed for the first time ever in this category in Louisville this past weekend. He said he first got into bowhunting when he was four years and eventually joined the Crab Orchard Elementary team in second grade. “I never really thought about bowhunting but ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council will consider the purchase of additional vehicles for the fire department in the current fiscal year’s budget. Fire Chief Benton Young said he was able to find two Ford Explorer-type vehicles available within two weeks from a dealer in Georgia. Young said if the city does not purchase the vehicles now, the price is expected to increase ... Read More »