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The City of Cookeville issued 309 permits for single-family developments in 2023, the most since the city started tracking this data. Community Development Director Jon Ward said those 309 units tallied some $69 million in development. The city also issued 20 commercial and remodeling permits, totaling some $132 million. “It shows a lot of confidence in the city of Cookeville,” ... Read More »

The Sparta Housing Authority released a statement declaring that the organization strictly obeys federal regulations and has additional policies to establish equality for all. The statement comes after some Spencer officials expressed concern last month about how Van Buren County residents are being handled by the authority. Those officials said they saw White County residents getting preferential treatment for openings ... Read More »

Cookeville Regional Medical Center has implemented visitation restrictions due to surging flu and COVID-19 numbers. Infection Prevention Manager Stephanie Etter said COVID-19 hospitalizations have spiked some 60 percent in the last two weeks. Etter said starting Thursday, people under 16-years-old, and anyone showing signs of illness will not be permitted to visit the hospital. “If they do visit and they’re ... Read More »

If you walked away from the holidays with a fistful of gift cards, you should keep track of them just like you would your regular cash. That according to White County UT Extension Agent Mallory Paige Christian. She said it is important to educate yourself on how your gift cards work. Some of them can come with extra fees. Some ... Read More »

Pickett County Executive Stephen Bilbrey said he will put attracting additional medical facilities to the community at the top of his list. That after Byrdstown Medical Center closed its doors last week with roughly 24-hour notice. Owner Andrew Todd announced on his Facebook page a lack of Medicaid expansion as the reason for the closure. Bilbrey said the medical office ... Read More »

The new Sparta-White County Senior Center Board began its plans to rebuild and revitalize the center during its first meeting Wednesday. Interim Director Jim Floyd said the center will likely remain closed until some point in February. Floyd said his number one priority is providing key services to the public such as food assistance before offering any extra programs like ... Read More »

The Ayers Foundation has postponed Warren County High School’s FAFSA Frenzy event Saturday because of ongoing issues with the new student aid form. Ayers College Access Counselor Vanessa Farris said the new FAFSA website intermittently crashes. She said the state is giving advice to educators not to hold large FAFSA events until the issues are worked out. “It launched on ... Read More »

Even with major growth in research and technology, earthquakes are difficult to understand and even harder to predict. Japan’s southern peninsula rocked by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake Monday morning. The death toll has risen to 62, and counting. Tennessee Tech Earth Sciences Department Chair Jeannette Luna said while we can identify where seismic events may happen, it is almost impossible ... Read More »

White County’s Central View Fire Department received a grant for new tools to fight wildland and forest fires. Fire Chief Matt McBride said there has been an increase in the number of small to mid-sized grass and brush fires across the Upper Cumberland. McBride said the Tennessee Division of Forestry grant will provide new personal protective equipment tailored for use ... Read More »

One property is secured and two others are in negotiations as Cookeville continues the Tennessee Tech Pump Station replacement project. Cookeville Water and Sewer Director Barry Turner said the city needs three properties on Lee Avenue north of the Tech campus to start construction. He said an engineer has completed the designs and some 18 months of construction will begin ... Read More »