Latest News

The Putnam County School Board is interested in exploring a change in the way sales taxes fund the school system. Currently, schools are operating on a flat sales tax rate. Chairman Lynn McHenry said that in switch from a flat rate to a percentage rate, it would be an opportunity to see an increase in revenue. “It will give us ... Read More »

A coverage evaluation of weather sirens in Sparta will be conducted next month to gauge the need for a third. City Administrator Brad Hennessee said comments of alerts not being heard in a recent weather event caused the city to assess the situation. “There’s mixed information about how we got to two, and we don’t know for sure if we ... Read More »

Roadwork to improve Cookeville’s Hudgens Street has begun. Public Works Director Greg Brown said they hope the work will aid in traffic around Capshaw School during carpool hours. “It’s adding a turning lane on Hudgens at the corner of Elm and then adding a turning lane down Elm to Cougar Drive to help keep the traffic off of the main ... Read More »

Putnam County Pre-K program is accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year starting July 30th. Pre-K through 4th grade Supervisor Jill Ramsey said she encourages parents to enroll their children in pre-k instead of daycare, because they learn skills that set them up for success in kindergarten. “Pre-K is much more specific in the skills that we’re trying to teach ... Read More »

Putnam County Libraries now have Google Chromebooks available for checkout. Assistant Director Matt Knieling said they originally looked into the idea at the start of pandemic when there was concern about virtual learning, but now hopes the resource will benefit Putnam County residents on a wider scale. “They would be able to check this out and further gain access to ... Read More »

This Friday might be an ordinary close to the week for some, but for Ralph’s Donuts, it is one of the busiest days of the year. It is National Donut Day, and people are celebrating by visiting the oldest donut shop in Cookeville. But, how do the donuts go from a mix of raw ingredients to a hot, fried dough ... Read More »

The Putnam County Solid Waste Department has started a Contamination Awareness campaign to inform residents the best practices of recycling. Program Manager Lisa Luck said contamination is defined as materials that do not belong in a recyclable category. Luck said confusion with recycling has been a big problem for the county. “I walked into the recycling center the other day, ... Read More »

Jackson County Middle School has been recognized as a Beta Club School of Distinction this year. Principal Gary Tinsley said this distinction means they were able to grow the club by at least 10 percent. Tinsley said the Junior Beta Club got a new sponsor this school year and 26 students were added in 6th-8th grade. “A lot of students ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport is expecting its new fuel truck to arrive at the end of July. Airport Manager Dean Selby said there has been a three to four week delay because of the computer chip shortage. However, Selby said when the truck arrives it is going to answer a pressing capacity need. “In May, our preliminary numbers show ... Read More »

Warmer months means spending more time outdoors, but spending more time outdoors could increase your chances of running into poison ivy. Dekalb County Extension Agent Johnny Barnes said the most common misconception people have about the plant is that just being near it can affect you. “In order for it to kind of have a reaction with you, you do ... Read More »