Latest News

Sparta moving forward with an agreement for sewer flow monitoring services. The City Council approved the $44,270 contract Thursday night. Public Works Director Dillard Quick said flow monitors will be implemented into the sewer systems to track potential overflows. “And they put meters at several different locations around the city and that’s how they monitor the inflow of water,” Quick ... Read More »

Algood Police Department confirmed the identification of the decomposed body found in an apartment complex last week. Police Chief Dale Armour said the body was that of Michael Peek, an Algood man missing since March 17th. Armour said a cause of death is yet to be determined. “We talked to the family at the scene,” Armour said. “We told them ... Read More »

A Sparta family asking the community to be on the lookout for their missing pet kangaroo. Owner Todd Watson said Beau had been missing for about a week. He said the nine-month-old kangaroo stands at about 2 and a half feet tall. “We’ve had some people worry that he’s going to attack a kid but he’s not big enough to ... Read More »

Doug Stafford is a county commissioner in Jackson County, Vice President of the local Chamber of Commerce, Board member of the Friends of Cordell Hull Lake, and on six boards through the county commission. Stafford has also been named a 2023 recipient of the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award.  Stafford said the original notice for his Governor’s award was hidden in ... Read More »

The DeKalb County High Service Society now accepting donations for their Blast from the Past prom. Comprehensive Development Classroom Teacher Aimee Cantrell said the prom came about to give students who cannot attend the standard prom an opportunity to have their own prom.  Cantrell said a student originally pitched the idea to Service Society and from there they just kind ... Read More »

Sparta Women’s Club is gathering suitcases for its new project Rolling with Hope. The project provides suitcases to children taken from their homes. Sparta Womens’ Club Vice President Tish Leap said many of these children put their belongings into whatever is handy. Leap said she first got the idea from a relative who works with the Department of Children’s Services. ... Read More »

The recent death of a kayaker on Dale Hollow Lake serves as a reminder to utilize safe practices while using the watercraft. TWRA Boating Officer Dustin Buttram said that kayaks are one of the leading causes of waterway fatalities in our area. He said they are generally related to not having a life jacket and bad weather. “These kayakers get ... Read More »

The state Comptroller’s Office Water and Wastewater Financing Board continuing to investigate what is best for the operation of the Spencer utility system and its future. Communications Director John Dunn said after opening an investigation, the board decided ultimately it would be the best step forward for the city to merge with the Warren County utility district. However, he said ... Read More »

Upper Cumberland leaders identified housing as one of the top issues at UCHRA’s Policy Council meeting Wednesday. In a community assessment of almost 1,000 people across all 14 counties in the region, access to affordable housing was of the top five needs. Director Mark Farley said that does not necessarily mean that there is a lack of apartments, but a ... Read More »

Former District 41 Representative John Mark Windle set to represent Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville in Thursday’s expulsion hearing. Johnson is one of three facing expulsion for “disorderly behavior” after she, Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis led protest chants for gun reform on the floor of the chamber last week in the wake of the deadly ... Read More »