Latest News

A Warren County woman reported missing last week was found Friday afternoon in Flint, Michigan. 36-year-old Jennifer Mayfield was originally reported missing under potentially suspicious circumstances. McMinnville Police Detective Katelyn Cannon said Mayfield’s roommate arrived home and had found the backdoor open with blood on the countertop. Cannon said after investigating several leads, they received a tip that Mayfield had ... Read More »

Jackson County Schools Director Kristy Brown encouraged principals to continue expanded tutoring to improve reading skills and offset upcoming retention changes. A new Senate Bill proposes to retain students in the third grade unless they score in the fiftieth percentile or better in state-mandated reading benchmark testing. Brown said Jackson County had already increased reading fluency by seven percent through ... Read More »

Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity taking the final steps to officially incorporate the DeKalb County chapter into the regional organization. Board President said DeKalb County had a strong presence and was doing good work in the area, but struggled with some administrative components. “They found themselves in a position that they weren’t able to take as much of an advantage ... Read More »

Pickett County Commissioners will consider an agreement between the county and its Soil and Water Conservation District. Pickett County Executive Stephen Bilbrey said the district has equipment that farmers can rent to use on their farms. He said that equipment is currently being stored at the Highway Department. “The Soil and Conservation has received a grant to erect a building ... Read More »

Jackson County Chamber of Commerce will host a workshop to educate the local community about short-term vacation rentals. Director Hope Vargas said the workshop is made possible with the help of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association. She said the organizations wanted to continue to offer them throughout the state, particularly in more rural ... Read More »

Warren County Schools nearing the end of its faculty and staff salary study. Director of Schools Grant Swallows said the district has always wanted to keep up with trends for employee pay and help during times of inflation and rising costs. He said they have taken time comparing Warren County salaries to districts around the Upper Cumberland. “What we’ve learned ... Read More »

Current Cookeville City Council members say an aquatics facility is not a high priority at this point in time. Council Member Eric Walker was a member of the previous council that had made strides toward making the facility a reality. He said with a $30 million price tag and continued rising construction costs, it might be more prudent to focus ... Read More »

Maybe some weekend work planned outside? A reminder that burn permits are still required region-wide. The state requires burn permits until May 15 when humidity increases. Baxter Fire Chief Matthew White said the cities in Putnam County require burn permits year-round. “Every city has their own ordinance and issues their own fire permits,” White said. “Outside of the city limits ... Read More »

The latest mural honoring Jackson County High School Class of ’66 set to be complete by the end of the week. Organizer Dan Huffines said he and several of his classmates wanted to create a mural that would highlight major landmarks from their time in school. He said that includes the old Cumberland River Bridge and the popular school bus ... Read More »

City of Algood will work to speed up its filing transaction processes after receiving one finding on its annual audit report. The auditor found Algood needed stronger procedures to make sure all transactions are included in the general ledger. City Administrator Keith Morrison said the finding was identified as a material weakness. He said he believes the oversight came as ... Read More »